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City guide · New York

Autism in Rochester

Local entry points for Rochester and Monroe County families: the county's Early Intervention line, district Child Find contacts, URMC's autism evaluation clinics, and the state's OPWDD access point for the Finger Lakes region — every fact sourced.

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Local resources in Rochester

Ordered by review count, then name. Providers cannot pay to be listed, ranked, or edited.

3 resources in Rochester

1. Golisano Children's Hospital — diagnostic evaluations

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DiagnosisGolisano Children's Hospital, Rochester

A developmental evaluation for children where a developmental disability is suspected, carried out by a developmental paediatrician, clinical psychologist or paediatric nurse practitioner. The evaluation looks at possible causes of the child's developmental delay and ends with a written report that can be shared with the child's school and primary care provider.

Ages Children and young people

(585) 275-2986601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642

2. Levine Autism Clinic

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DiagnosisGolisano Children's Hospital, Rochester

The Levine Autism Clinic diagnoses autism spectrum disorder and provides ongoing medical and behavioural care for autistic children and teens, including support for distressed behaviour and feeding difficulties. A family navigator also connects families with mentors, community organisations and information about school and other systems, with a Spanish-language line available.

Ages Children and young people

(585) 275-2986200 East River Road, Third Floor, Rochester, NY 14623

3. Rochester Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Parent supportMonroe, Cayuga, Livingston, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties

The Rochester Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders gives community education, training and information about autism spectrum disorder to families and professionals across Monroe County and eleven other counties. It runs educator training, parent and educator programmes, an annual conference, and an information-and-referral service that helps families and professionals find local resources.

Ages Families of autistic children and young people

The short answer for Rochester

  • Under 3: call the Monroe County Department of Public Health's Early Intervention line at 585-753-5437 (585-753-KIDS). No diagnosis is required to start.
  • 3 and up: put your evaluation request in writing to your child's school. Rochester City School District and its neighbors must evaluate at no cost under state Child Find law.
  • For a medical diagnosis, URMC's Levine Autism Clinic and the Andrew J. Kirch Developmental Services Center both operate out of 200 East River Road — call 585-275-2986 for either.
  • Longer-term disability supports run through OPWDD's Western New York & Finger Lakes regional office at 716-517-2010, or the statewide Infoline at 866-946-9733.

Rochester families reach New York's Early Intervention Program through the Monroe County Department of Public Health, school evaluation through their district's Child Find duty, and — unusually for a city this size — two well-documented hospital-based autism clinics through the University of Rochester Medical Center.

This page lists the phone numbers, URLs, and publicly stated details behind each of those, plus the state OPWDD region that handles longer-term disability supports.

Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the New York page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Rochester (Monroe County).

Early intervention under 3: New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP) — Monroe County

Early Intervention in New York is administered locally, and in Monroe County that role belongs to the Department of Public Health. A parent, doctor, or child care provider can call the intake line directly; staff follow up to learn more about a child's needs, and no diagnosis is required to begin. State regulation (10 NYCRR §69-4.11) requires the Individualized Family Service Plan to be completed within 45 days of referral, with services starting within 30 days of a parent's signature. The evaluation and plan carry no cost to the family.

New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.

School districts and special education

New York school districts carry a Child Find duty to identify and evaluate children with a suspected disability from birth through 21 at no cost to families. Begin with a written request to your child's school; under 8 NYCRR §200.4, the district has 60 calendar days from your written consent to complete the initial evaluation.

IEP or 504 · If you disagree with the school

Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Rochester

These are hospital and university programs with public intake information. Listing here is informational — it is not a recommendation, and it is not medical advice. Public school evaluation is free and does not require any of these.

How assessment works · What to do while you wait

Disability services and waivers: NYS OPWDD — Western New York & Finger Lakes region

OPWDD, New York's developmental-disability agency, groups Monroe County into its Western New York & Finger Lakes region. The statewide Infoline (866-946-9733) will transfer you to your regional Front Door, or you can call the region directly. From there, families go through eligibility determination, a needs evaluation, and Care Manager-led service planning, including Medicaid's Home and Community Based Services Waiver for those who pursue it. No diagnosis is required to start the conversation.

Local organizations that help Rochester families

Documented waits and access notes

Wait times change. Each note below links to the public source it came from — confirm current status directly with the program.

  • Rochester City School District's CSE has to do more than approve an IEP on paper — 8 NYCRR §200.4 requires services to be arranged within 60 school days of consent, or 30 school days from the recommendation for an approved private placement. (source)
  • New York places no ceiling on age or lifetime dollars for autism coverage, but the mandate itself limits reimbursed ABA to 680 hours per insured child each year. (source)

Paying for support in Rochester

Commercial health plans regulated by New York State must cover autism diagnosis and treatment, including ABA, under Insurance Law §§3216, 3221, and 4303 — a mandate that does not extend to self-funded employer plans. Monroe County families on Medicaid can reach ABA through a Medicaid-enrolled Licensed Behavior Analyst once a diagnosis is confirmed.

Nothing here is a recommendation — we list what exists, note what a provider says about itself, and let parents tell you the rest.

Common questions from Rochester parents

Sources

  1. [1]Monroe County Department of Public Health — Early Intervention. Open source
  2. [2]NYS DOH — county-by-county Early Intervention Official contact list. Open source
  3. [3]10 NYCRR §69-4.11 — Individualized Family Service Plan timelines. Open source
  4. [4]8 NYCRR §200.4 — special education evaluation and IEP timelines. Open source
  5. [5]Rochester City School District — Department of Special Education. Open source
  6. [6]Greece Central School District — Special Education. Open source
  7. [7]URMC — Levine Autism Clinic. Open source
  8. [8]URMC — Andrew J. Kirch Developmental Services Center. Open source
  9. [9]OPWDD — Contact Us (regional office numbers). Open source
  10. [10]The Arc of Monroe. Open source
  11. [11]211 LIFE LINE. Open source
  12. [12]Special Olympics New York — Genesee Region. Open source

Last checked 2026-08-11. Programs and links change — confirm with the agency before relying on any detail. This page is information, not legal or medical advice.