This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Union County, New Jersey. You'll find 17 local resources listed here, alongside New Jersey statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, New Jersey's starting point is the New Jersey Early Intervention System; for school-age children, special education and IEPs run through your local school district. Confirm details directly with each provider.
Diagnosis & Early Intervention
Getting an evaluation and accessing early services.
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.
This Union County outpatient center offers autism screening, developmental evaluations, and behavioral pediatrics, and it is one of the region's largest providers of autism services. A trusted place to start if you want a comprehensive assessment close to home.
If your child under age 3 has developmental concerns, Family Link is the local agency that coordinates free early intervention evaluations and services right here in Union County. They walk families through the whole process, from referral to a personalized plan.
School & IEP Rights
IEPs, 504 plans, special education, and school advocacy.
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 well-established Newark nonprofit runs the KidLaw Resource Center, which focuses on children's education rights and publishes a plain-language guide to New Jersey special education. They're a trusted place to learn how the system is supposed to work for your child.
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.
Therapy & Treatment
ABA, speech, OT, and finding the right providers.
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.
A hospital-based center in Summit providing diagnostic and treatment services for adults with developmental disabilities, including autism. Helpful for families whose child is aging into adult care and needs a medical home that understands their needs.
A pediatric rehabilitation hospital with outpatient centers right in Union County (Union and Mountainside) offering speech, occupational, physical, and feeding therapy plus an Autism Center of Excellence. This is one of the region's most trusted places to get your child evaluated and into therapy.
Elizabeth's hospital runs a full continuum of behavioral health care for children and teens, including a specialized unit for young people with autism and developmental disabilities. A good starting point when your child needs psychiatric or developmental support close to home.
Financial Assistance & Benefits
Medicaid waivers, SSI, ABLE accounts, and legal aid.
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.
DB101 is a free, plain-language guide that helps you understand how SSI, Medicaid, ABLE accounts, and work all fit together so you don't accidentally lose benefits. Its estimators let you plan ahead before making financial or job decisions.
A state-sponsored, tax-advantaged savings account that lets your family set money aside for disability-related expenses without risking SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Anyone whose disability began before age 26 can open one, and friends and family can contribute too.
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.
This is your local county office for enrolling in NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid, which is the gateway to most autism and developmental-disability benefits and services. Staff here can also help you apply for food assistance, emergency aid, and other support programs.
Support Groups & Community
Find your people, in person and online.
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.
ACI is the designated Center for Independent Living serving Union County, offering peer support, social recreation, advocacy, and information and referral for people with disabilities and their families. It's a warm place to find community and practical guidance close to home.
A local nonprofit that runs parent support groups in Plainfield and around Union County, where you can meet other families walking a similar path. They also match you with a trained Family Support Partner who has been there and can help you navigate services.
This county office is your local starting point for accessible, inclusive recreation and can connect your family to programs and services across Union County's parks and human services. Their year-round adaptive recreation runs for children age 5 through adults.
Adult Transition & Long-Term Planning
Aging out of school, adult services, and long-term planning.
A neurodivergent employment agency offering job support nationwide over Zoom: resume building, mock interviews, and career guidance, plus direct outreach to employers to help secure placements. Supports neurodivergent individuals roughly ages 16 to 50, and has been in business over 15 years.
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.
Based in Elizabeth since 1979, CAU supports Union County adults with developmental disabilities through day programs, supported employment, housing, and community living. Services can be funded through DDD once your young adult turns 21.
This state council runs transition programs like Planning for Adult Life and Project SEARCH that guide teens ages 16 to 21 toward employment, further education, and independent living. It is a warm starting point for mapping out the years around aging out.
PLAN|NJ is a New Jersey nonprofit built around the question every special-needs parent worries about: who will care for my child when I'm gone. They help families set up special needs trusts, life plans, and guardianship so your adult child is protected for the long term.
A note on these listings. This directory is informational and not an
endorsement. Programs, phone numbers, and eligibility change, so always confirm details
directly with the provider before relying on them. Nothing here is medical or legal advice.
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