Autism resources in
Passaic County.

Free CDC milestone checklists and a Milestone Tracker app help you follow your child's development from 2 months to 5 years, so you know what to watch for and when to act. A gentle first step when you're unsure whether to seek an evaluation.

A free helpline staffed by specialists who help you find autism evaluations, services, and support anywhere in New Jersey. If you're not sure where to start, they'll listen to your situation and point you to the right next step.

A statewide hospital program offering autism screening, diagnostic evaluations, and early intervention across its New Jersey sites. Trained providers assess how your child plays, communicates, and interacts, and connect you with speech, occupational, and psychology services as needed.

State-funded Child Evaluation Centers providing comprehensive developmental and autism evaluations for children from birth through adolescence. Their teams use structured observations and standardized testing to give families clear answers and a path forward.

An autism diagnostic center in southern New Jersey offering formal evaluations and in-person testing for children ages 4 and up, plus adolescents and adults. After testing, they provide individualized recommendations and help connecting you to community resources.

New Jersey's free statewide program for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or disabilities. Call the statewide referral line and a service coordinator will talk through your concerns and set up evaluations at no cost to your family.

Run by Bergen County's Valley Health System, this clinic offers focused, faster autism evaluations for young children ages 24 to 48 months, helping families avoid the long waits many face for a diagnosis. A referral from your child's pediatrician is needed to get started.

Every state has a federally funded Parent Training & Information Center offering free help with IEPs, special-education rights, and early intervention. This hub's directory locates the center that serves your state.

A national nonprofit protecting the rights of students with disabilities. Use their member directory to find a special-education attorney or trained advocate near you when you need help with an IEP or a dispute with a school.

Every state has a federally mandated Protection & Advocacy agency that offers free legal help when a school isn't following your child's IEP or evaluating them as required. This directory connects you to the office serving your area.

ACNJ's staff attorneys offer a plain-language Basic Guide to Special Education and limited personal help for NJ parents with questions about their child's IEP and school services. Their special education specialist provides bilingual (English/Spanish) assistance.

Based in Newark, the Education Law Center works to make sure students with disabilities receive the full range of services they're owed under IDEA, offering know-your-rights guides and pro bono legal help. Their guide 'The Right to Special Education in New Jersey' is available free in English and Spanish.

The state's Office of Special Education explains your parental rights under IDEA and offers a Special Education Ombudsman and Family Support Specialist who can answer questions and help resolve disputes with your school district. It's the official place to file a complaint or request mediation.

SPAN is New Jersey's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center, where staff help you understand your child's special education rights, prepare for IEP meetings, and connect with other parents. Their support and resources are free for NJ families.

This is New Jersey's federally designated protection and advocacy organization, and they help families with disability rights including special education and IEP matters. You can reach their intake team by phone to talk through your situation at no cost.

You matter too. Psychology Today's therapist finder filters for 'caregiver stress' and 'autism family,' and Open Path Collective offers reduced-cost therapy sessions nationwide. You cannot support your child well without also supporting yourself.

The state's official starting point for connecting your child with autism to therapy, care management, and developmental services at every age. It links you to PerformCare for behavioral care, Project Child Find for evaluations, and other state programs.

Part of New Jersey's largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital system, this Clifton location offers speech, occupational, and physical therapy plus developmental and behavioral pediatrics for children with autism and related needs. Care is close to home for Passaic County families.

PerformCare is New Jersey's around-the-clock access point for reaching behavioral, in-home, and developmental disability services for children with autism, and can help you start eligibility for treatment supports. You can call any time, day or night, and no application is required to begin behavioral health services in a crisis.

This Paterson-based center provides comprehensive developmental and behavioral evaluations for children, with specialists trained in autism spectrum and ADHD. It's a good first stop when you need a formal diagnosis or a clear picture of your child's needs.

Based at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson, this hospital-run center offers evaluation, diagnosis, and ongoing treatment for children on the autism spectrum, including individual sessions, skills and support groups, and family workshops. It's a trusted local option right in the heart of Passaic County.

ABLE accounts let people with disabilities (onset before age 26) save money tax-free without losing Medicaid or SSI eligibility. This center compares every state's ABLE program so you can pick the best one for your family.

LSNJ provides free civil legal help to lower-income New Jerseyans, including appeals for SSI and disability benefits, Medicaid coverage, and other public-benefit problems. One free statewide hotline connects you to help near you.

NJ ABLE lets people with disabilities save and invest money for disability-related expenses without losing SSI, Medicaid, or other benefits, with tax-free growth. It's run by the state's Division of Disability Services, and you can open an account by phone or online.

New Jersey's DDD runs two Medicaid home- and community-based waiver programs that fund supports like day services, respite, and in-home help based on your loved one's assessed needs. Call the Division to ask about eligibility and how to get started.

This state program gives family caregivers a short-term or periodic break from the daily demands of caring for a loved one, with fees on a sliding scale based on income. Call the Aging & Disability Resource Connection to reach the program in your county.

NJ ABLE is the state-sponsored savings account that lets your family set money aside for disability-related expenses without risking SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Earnings grow tax-free when used for things like education, housing, and personal support.

This is the state agency that funds home- and community-based services for New Jersey residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including the Supports Program and Community Care Program Medicaid waivers. Once your child turns 21 and is DDD-eligible, this is where the funding for daily supports, respite, and day programs comes from.

A free statewide helpline where trained specialists help you find and navigate Medicaid services, waivers, and community programs for your child. It's a good first call when you're not sure which benefit or agency you need.

Free legal help for income-eligible Passaic County families with issues like public benefits, Medicaid denials, housing, and special education. Their Paterson office serves local residents directly.

The nation's oldest grassroots autism organization. Their National Helpline connects families to information and referrals, and their affiliate finder points you to a local chapter in your area for in-person support and events.

The largest national community-based organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Local chapters offer advocacy, family support, and lifelong services. Use the chapter finder to locate the office nearest you.

Dial 2-1-1 (or visit 211.org) to reach a free, confidential referral line for local health and human services in almost every US community — including disability services, respite, food, housing, and financial assistance.

A statewide nonprofit and the go-to hub for New Jersey autism families, offering a free helpline that connects you to services, referrals, support groups, and answers to your questions. Their team can point you toward local resources and community programs no matter where in NJ you live.

A New Jersey 501(c)(3) that supports families touched by autism and developmental disabilities through over 30 statewide programs, including weekend respite getaways and community inclusion outings. They also help families navigate services and connect with others facing similar journeys.

The state agency that funds and coordinates services for New Jersey residents with developmental disabilities, including respite, family support, and home- and community-based supports. Their staff can help you understand eligibility and apply for the services your family needs.

A New Jersey nonprofit that runs a monthly parent support group plus hundreds of free recreation events, dances, and family gatherings across the state each year. It's a warm place to meet other autism parents and give your child fun, welcoming activities.

Based in Clifton, DIAL has run a therapeutic recreation program for Passaic County residents with disabilities since 1997, plus peer support, advocacy, and independent-living skills. It's a warm, community setting close to home for families in the county.

This local nonprofit runs weekend and after-school respite programs right in Paterson, giving Passaic County parents a safe, fun place for their child while they get a much-needed break. They welcome children with autism and other special needs and can arrange transportation on a case-by-case basis.

DVRS helps your teen or adult with a disability find and keep a job — offering career counseling, job coaching, supported employment, and pre-employment transition services for students starting at age 14. All services are provided at no cost to you.

PLAN|NJ helps families answer the hardest question — who will care for my child when I'm gone. They administer special needs trusts, offer life-planning consultations, and provide guardianship and care coordination so your loved one stays secure long after you.

New Jersey's university center on disability offers a clear, parent-friendly timeline that maps out what to plan and when as your child moves toward adult life — from guardianship decisions to state agency services. Available free in English and Spanish.

A long-established nonprofit that expanded into Passaic County to run adult day habilitation, pre-vocational, and supported employment programs for people 21 and older who are DDD-eligible, including autism-specific groups with small staff ratios.