This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Monroe County, New York. You'll find 20 local resources listed here, alongside New York statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, New York's starting point is New York's early intervention program; 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.
Not sure how to reach your local free early intervention program? This CDC page lists the direct contact for every state, including New York, so you can quickly find who to call to get your child evaluated. Publicly funded evaluations are free or low-cost for any eligible child.
This free CDC program helps you track your child's development from 2 months to 5 years with a milestone checklist app, so you know what to look for and what to do if something worries you. It's a gentle, reassuring first step when you're not sure whether to seek an evaluation.
Part of the University of Rochester Medical Center, this clinic provides standardized autism diagnostic evaluations and coordinated, ongoing care from developmental-behavioral pediatricians. Family navigators can also help you understand next steps after a diagnosis.
A collaborative program of NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell, and Columbia in White Plains offering comprehensive, evidence-based autism diagnostic evaluations. If your child is age 3 or younger, call and select option 1 to ask about getting started.
New York State's Early Intervention Program provides services for children birth to age 3 with developmental delays or disabilities, at no cost to families. Each county runs its own intake, contact your county program to begin the evaluation process.
A long-established Rochester nonprofit whose Augustin Children's Center offers early intervention evaluations and therapies (speech, occupational, physical, and special education) for young children across Monroe County. Warm, family-centered support for kids from birth through age five.
If you have worries about how your baby or toddler is growing, talking, or moving, this free county program (birth to age 3) can set up an evaluation and arrange services like speech, physical, and occupational therapy at no cost to you. One phone call gets the process started.
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.
AFC leads New York's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center and offers free workshops, know-your-rights resources, and case advocacy to help you get the school services your child needs. Their education helpline can talk you through IEP problems in English or Spanish.
DRNY is New York's federally designated protection and advocacy agency, offering free legal and advocacy help to children and adults with disabilities, including special education disputes. If your child is being denied services or you need someone in your corner, this is a good first call.
Every part of New York is covered by a free, federally funded Parent Training and Information Center that helps you understand your child's rights and participate in their education from birth to age 26. Use this map to find and connect with the center serving your area.
The state's special education division oversees all public school programs. Regional Associates are assigned to specific school districts and serve as a resource to parents when disputes arise. Can be contacted directly when IEP disagreements escalate.
New York's official special education office explains your child's rights, the IEP process, and your options if you disagree with the school, including free mediation and formal complaints. Start here for the state's plain-language Parent's Guide and Procedural Safeguards Notice.
This local Education Law Unit provides free legal help to protect the educational rights of children from birth to 21, including special education meetings, suspension hearings, and school residency issues. It serves Monroe County families at no cost.
Starbridge is the federally funded Parent Training and Information Center for the Rochester region, offering free workshops, one-on-one guidance, and education specialists who help you understand your child's IEP and special education rights. Their Rochester staff serve Monroe County families directly.
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.
Free, personalized help finding ABA, speech, occupational therapy, and other autism providers near you. Trained specialists can answer your questions by phone and point you to local services, and the online Resource Guide lets you search by location.
A plain-language New York State guide that walks you step-by-step through finding out if your child is eligible for developmental disability services. It links you to the tools and phone support you need to get started.
This is New York State's official starting point for autism and developmental disability services. Call the Information Line and they will connect you to your local Front Door office to check eligibility and set up supports like therapy, care management, and clinical services.
New York State's developmental disabilities agency explains the autism supports it funds, including Applied Behavior Analysis, speech and occupational therapy, social skills groups, and daily living skills. A helpful overview when you are figuring out what kinds of therapy your child may qualify for.
A one-stop autism hub in Rochester where several trusted organizations share a building, offering occupational, physical, and speech therapy along with behavioral support, social skills, and early intervention. Their helpline can guide you to the right service for your child.
A searchable directory from Rochester's Golisano Children's Hospital that helps you find local ABA services, therapies, support groups, and more, all in one place. A good starting point when you're not sure which provider fits your family.
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.
Tax-advantaged savings accounts for New Yorkers with disabilities diagnosed before age 26. Funds can be used for education, housing, transportation, health and wellness, without affecting Medicaid or SSI eligibility. An underused resource families consistently wish they'd known about sooner.
New York's Children's Waiver brings six older Medicaid waivers (including the former Bridges to Health) into one program of Home and Community Based Services for kids under 21 with developmental disabilities, serious emotional/behavioral needs, or medical fragility. It can cover respite, community habilitation, care coordination, and family services so your child can thrive at home.
New York's Home and Community-Based Services Waiver, administered by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, funds respite care, community habilitation, supported employment, and more. Apply through the OPWDD 'Front Door' process. Waitlists exist, apply early.
New York's Office for People With Developmental Disabilities runs the Medicaid waiver that funds respite, day services, and in-home supports for children and adults with autism or other developmental disabilities. Start with OPWDD's Front Door to find out if your family qualifies and to begin the application.
This OPWDD page walks you through how Medicaid pays for most developmental-disability services in New York, from care coordination to the children's waiver and residential supports. It's a good first stop to understand what financial help is available before you apply.
SSI provides monthly cash payments to children with disabilities, including autism, in families with limited income and resources. Call Social Security to make an appointment and apply, and know that approved benefits can go back to the date you first applied.
If your family's SSI or SSDI benefits were wrongly denied or cut off, this Rochester legal team gives free help through every step of the appeal for Monroe County residents. They know the disability system inside and out and there's no cost to you.
This Rochester nonprofit's Family Reimbursement Program helps cover the costs of caring for your child at home, including respite hours, adaptive equipment, and disability-related supplies. It's designed for local families who have OPWDD eligibility.
This is the county office where Monroe County families apply for Medicaid, which opens the door to OPWDD waiver services, plus food, heating, and child care help. Staff can mail you an application or you can walk in during weekday hours.
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.
The nation's oldest autism organization connects you to real people who can point you toward support groups, services, and local affiliates near you. Reach an Information & Referral Specialist by phone or email whenever you need a place to start.
New York's state agency for people with developmental disabilities helps families caring for a relative at home, connecting you to respite, family support groups, and local advocacy networks. Call the Front Door line to get started and find services near you.
A statewide network that connects you with other NY parents who care for a child with a developmental disability or special healthcare need, so you never have to navigate the system alone. Trained volunteers and staff offer one-to-one support, training, and help finding services.
Free, year-round sports, recreation, and community for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across all of New York State. It's a joyful way to build friendships, confidence, and connection for your whole family at no cost.
Started by four Rochester moms and now serving over 4,000 local families, AutismUp offers parent support groups, family meet-ups, and a huge range of recreation, fitness, and social programs for all ages. It is one of the warmest, most active autism communities in Monroe County.
Serving Greater Rochester families since 1991, this network offers welcome baskets for new parents, social groups for kids and grown-ups, and community events like the Buddy Walk. A caring community for families of children with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.
A parent-run coalition offering free webinars, play dates, and peer connection for families raising children with developmental delays and disabilities. It is a welcoming place to meet other Monroe County parents who understand the journey.
Run by the University of Rochester Medical Center, this guide gathers 30+ adaptive recreation and leisure programs across Greater Rochester, from sports and fitness to arts and accessible playgrounds. A trusted starting point for finding inclusive activities in Monroe County.
A local volunteer nonprofit with a walk-in Information & Referral Center where Monroe County families can get connected to resources, training, and community support. They also lead autism-friendly community efforts across the county.
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.
This long-running New York nonprofit sets up and manages special needs and pooled trusts so your loved one can hold money without losing Medicaid or SSI eligibility. They serve families in every county of the state and can help you plan for your child's financial future.
Once your child ages out of school services, OPWDD is the primary pathway to adult supports: day habilitation, supported employment, residential options, and community integration. Apply via the Front Door process before age 18, the earlier you engage, the better positioned you are.
If your adult child wants to work or stay active in the community, OPWDD funds programs like Pathway to Employment, Supported Employment, and day habilitation. Ask your Care Manager which of these fits your family's goals.
When your child is aging into adulthood, the state's Office for People With Developmental Disabilities is the starting point for eligibility, care coordination, and adult day, employment, and residential supports. Call the statewide line or reach out to your regional Front Door office to begin the process.
This state guide walks you through moving your teen from school services to adult supports, ideally starting before age 15 as part of the IEP so services are ready when your child needs them. It includes a school transition toolkit, consent forms, and next steps to connect with OPWDD.
Planning for your child's financial future without disqualifying them from public benefits requires a Special Needs Trust. The Special Needs Alliance and Academy of Special Needs Planners both maintain directories of New York attorneys who specialize in this, often the single most important legal document a family of a disabled adult can create.
New York State's vocational rehabilitation program helps people with disabilities age 14 and up prepare for, find, and keep a job through counseling, training, and job coaching. Their Rochester office serves Monroe County and can help your child build toward employment as they transition out of school.
Serving Monroe County families for decades, the Arc of Monroe runs adult day programs and the region's largest supported-employment program, Job Path, pairing adults with an employment specialist. They also ease the handoff from high school into adult services.
CP Rochester offers home- and community-based adult programs across Monroe County, including day habilitation, vocational skill-building, transition apartments, and self-direction for adults with developmental disabilities. A good fit for building daily-living independence.
One of the region's largest disability nonprofits, Heritage Christian provides adult day habilitation, employment programs, youth transition services, and self-direction across the Rochester area. A solid option for long-term day and employment support.
This is the local starting point to apply for OPWDD adult services, eligibility, and supports, including programs for aging individuals with developmental disabilities. Staff can help you understand what long-term services your adult child qualifies for.
A long-established Rochester nonprofit that guides families through the transition from school to adult life, with workshops on transition planning, benefits, advocacy, and employment. A warm first call when you're not sure what comes next after graduation.
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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