This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Clark County, Washington. You'll find 16 local resources listed here, alongside Washington statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, Washington's starting point is Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT); 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.
ESIT is Washington's free early intervention program for children birth to age 3 with developmental delays or disabilities, and their families. If you have any worry about your child's development, you can call the Family Health Hotline to be connected with a local Family Resources Coordinator.
Seattle Children's Autism Center offers comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluations for children and youth ages 15 months to 21 years, using a team of specialists to give families answers sooner. They accept Apple Health (Medicaid), private insurance, and offer financial aid.
The University of Washington Autism Center provides comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluations for infants, children, and adolescents, with specialized infant/toddler assessments starting as early as 6 months. They have locations in Seattle and Tacoma.
Autism Centers of Excellence are Washington providers specially trained to diagnose autism and prescribe ABA therapy, which is required for children on Apple Health (Medicaid). This page helps families understand the diagnosis pathway and find qualified evaluating providers.
Your county's own program coordinates child development services for children birth to three and can point families toward local supports and evaluations. Staff can answer questions in English or Spanish and help you find the right next step.
This is Washington's free statewide starting point if you're worried about your child's development before age three. One call to the Help Me Grow hotline connects you with a local coordinator who arranges a developmental evaluation at no cost, with support in many languages.
This local ESD 112 program serves Clark County families with free in-home early intervention for children birth to age three who have developmental delays or disabilities. Their specialists (speech, occupational, and physical therapists) come to your home, childcare, or wherever your child feels comfortable.
A Washington State Center of Excellence for Autism offering autism and ADHD diagnostic evaluations by telehealth for ages 2 to 25 across Washington, including Clark County families. Their typical wait is only a few weeks, which can be a relief compared with long hospital waitlists.
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.
Disability Rights Washington is the state's federally designated protection and advocacy agency, offering free legal advice and, for eligible families, representation on special education matters. Their site also gathers trusted resources on complaints, mediation, and due process hearings.
Open Doors is a federally designated Community Parent Resource Center that helps culturally and linguistically diverse families navigate special education, the IEP process, and disability services in their own language. Staff speak more than 20 languages and serve families across King and Pierce counties.
Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction runs the state special education program and answers non-legal questions from families about how the process works, your rights, and where to turn for help. It's a good starting point straight from the state agency that oversees your school district.
PAVE is Washington's official Parent Training and Information Center, offering free one-on-one help, coaching, and training so you can understand your child's special education rights and feel prepared for IEP and 504 meetings. Their staff can walk you through evaluations, accommodations, and disagreements for kids ages 0-26.
The Education Ombuds is a free, confidential state office, independent of your school district, that helps families understand the K-12 system and resolve special education concerns collaboratively. They can listen, share information, and work informally with you and your school, with phone interpretation in more than 150 languages.
Washington's state education agency runs the official, no-cost processes for resolving school disagreements, including facilitation, mediation, community complaints, and due process hearings. This is where you turn when you need a formal way to protect your child's services.
This local Clark County coalition helps families of kids with intellectual and developmental disabilities understand and navigate school supports, including IEPs and 504 plans. They offer free information, training, and one-on-one system navigation right here in your county.
This neutral state office listens, informs, and helps parents and schools work through disagreements about special education, from evaluations to placement. They can guide you toward mediation, complaints, or due process, with free phone interpretation available.
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 statewide hotline where you can talk with a family navigator about your child's health, development, or where to find therapy and evaluation services. A warm first call if you're not sure where to start.
A well-established Spokane nonprofit offering ABA therapy across the lifespan, speech and occupational therapy, and free autism screenings for all ages. A great option for families in Eastern Washington looking for coordinated autism care.
A leading hospital-based center offering diagnostic autism evaluations, an ABA early-intervention program, speech and feeding therapy, and support for kids from toddlers through young adults. They accept Apple Health, private insurance, and offer financial aid for families without coverage.
Part of UW's Institute on Human Development and Disability, this center provides autism evaluations and the ABA LAUNCH early-intervention program, plus parent and toddler support, at its Seattle and Tacoma locations. It's a trusted university clinic for families seeking assessment and treatment.
Washington's Medicaid agency (Apple Health) covers ABA therapy for kids and young adults with autism, and this state page walks you through how a Center of Excellence evaluation gets your child approved for treatment. It's the official starting point for finding a covered ABA provider.
Part of Clark County Public Health, this program helps families of children birth to 18 connect with autism evaluation, ABA therapy providers, and other developmental and behavioral care through a care-coordination model. It's a warm, free starting point if you're trying to figure out where to go for a diagnosis or therapy.
A long-established Vancouver nonprofit and state-designated Neurodevelopmental Center, Strive Northwest provides early intervention and outpatient pediatric speech, occupational, and physical therapy for children from birth through age 21. Therapy can happen in the clinic, your home, school, or community.
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.
For unpaid family caregivers who aren't already getting respite through Medicaid, this program offers small vouchers (up to $1,000 per qualifying child) to help pay for a break from caregiving. It's run by PAVE with state and federal funding and is meant for planned respite, not just crisis moments.
Northwest Justice Project is Washington's free civil legal aid program, and its CLEAR hotline is the statewide door to free legal help with things like denied SSI or Medicaid benefits, special education, and housing. Callers who are deaf or hard of hearing and seniors 60+ have their own dedicated lines.
An ABLE account lets a person with a disability (that began before age 46) save and invest money for everyday and future needs without losing SSI, Medicaid, or other benefits, as long as the balance stays under the program limits. You can open an account online in about 10 minutes with a $25 minimum deposit.
This is the local Washington State Developmental Disabilities Administration office serving Clark County, and it's where families apply for the Medicaid HCBS waivers (Basic Plus, Core, CIIBS, and more) that fund in-home and community support. Call ahead before visiting to start the enrollment or eligibility process.
The state's official protection and advocacy agency, offering free legal information, self-advocacy help, and some legal representation when a person with a disability faces discrimination or denial of services and benefits. Their intake line is a good first call if you're stuck fighting a benefits or services decision.
ABLE lets people with disabilities save up to $100,000 in a tax-advantaged account without losing Medicaid or SSI, with funds usable for housing, transportation, technology, and other everyday needs. You can open an account in about ten minutes at washingtonstateable.com.
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.
An Autistic-led statewide nonprofit that builds community through free peer support, coffee and game clubs, sensory-friendly events, and connection for autistic people and their families. A warm place to find belonging and local resources across Washington.
Trusted, plain-language guidance from the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council and the DDA, organized by your child's life stage. A great starting point for understanding services like family support and respite, and finding county-specific supports.
A Vancouver-based nonprofit devoted to enriching the lives of autistic and neurodivergent youth, adults, and families across Southwest Washington. They partner with local support groups like Vancouver Autism Moms and host social clubs, family events, and community programs.
The city's recreation program for people with disabilities, offering classes, fitness activities, and summer day camps in a welcoming setting. Families can use DDA/DSHS respite funds toward registration, and accommodations are available on request.
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.
Created by the Washington Legislature, this state program lets families open a special needs trust at low cost so you can set money aside for your child's future without risking their SSI or Medicaid. It's managed by The Arc of Washington with funds safely invested by the state, and even offers matching funds on fees.
DVR is Washington's statewide vocational rehabilitation program, pairing your adult child with a counselor who helps them prepare for, find, and keep a job. They also offer transition services for high schoolers moving toward the workplace, plus benefits planning and assistive technology.
The County Clerk's office guides families through the guardianship process for an adult who cannot make or communicate their own decisions, including required training, court forms, and less-restrictive alternatives. It is the official local starting point for guardianship questions.
DVR helps adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job through counseling, training, benefit planning, and assistive technology. The Vancouver office serves Clark County families right here in the community.
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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