Roughly one in five people in Fort Collins is tied to Colorado State University, and that single fact reshapes what a family raising a child with autism can find here.
A town built around a major research university grows the very things autism families need: evaluations, social groups, inclusive college paths, and a steady supply of future therapists. The autism resources scattered across this city, from campus to county to community, add up to more than most newcomers expect.
Here is how they fit together, and where ABA therapy lands among them.
Why a college town changes what autism families can find
Fort Collins is a university town before it is anything else, and that shows up in the resource map. With Colorado State University enrolling around 34,000 students in a city of roughly 170,000, close to one in five people you pass downtown is connected to the school. A community built around education tends to invest in the kinds of programs autism families need.
A city built around Colorado State University
CSU is a large, research-active, land-grant university, and that brings clinics, faculty expertise, and a steady stream of students training to become therapists, teachers, and behavior technicians. Many of the providers your family will meet across Northern Colorado learned their craft here. The university also draws families to the region specifically because the support network is strong.
In practical terms, a university town gives you more doors to knock on:
- Lower-cost evaluations and groups run through training clinics
- College programs designed for autistic teens and young adults
- Research studies that sometimes offer free assessments or services
- A larger pool of trained therapists, including future RBTs and BCBAs
I have watched families arrive in Fort Collins for a job or for school and discover, almost by accident, that the town came with a built-in support network. One parent found her son’s first social group through a flyer in a campus coffee shop. That kind of luck is more common here, and you should not have to rely on luck, which is exactly why it helps to know the map.
University programs Fort Collins families can use
Some of the most useful and least known resources sit right on campus, and many are open to community members, not just enrolled students.
Evaluations and groups at CSU’s Psychological Services Center
The Psychological Services Center is a community clinic affiliated with CSU’s psychology department. It offers psychological and neuropsychological evaluations, including for autism, along with therapy for children, teens, and adults.
Services are delivered by doctoral students under licensed faculty supervision, which often means more affordable care and unhurried attention. The center also runs a children’s social skills group, and a diagnosis is not required to join.
One honest caveat: training clinics follow the academic calendar, so availability can ebb and flow with the semester. It is worth calling early, asking about wait times, and checking whether your child is a good fit for a current group.
Inclusive college and life-skills programs
CSU’s Center for Community Partnerships runs programs aimed at older teens and young adults with developmental disabilities. RAM Scholars is an inclusive higher-education experience at CSU. Thrive is a summer exploration program, and the Belong Program offers supportive housing for neurodiverse young adults in Fort Collins.
For autistic students enrolling at CSU, the Student Disability Center coordinates academic accommodations. These programs make a college town feel like a place your child can grow into, not just pass through.
Equine-assisted programs and a well-known advocate
Fort Collins also has a piece of autism history. Temple Grandin, one of the best-known autistic voices in the world, is a longtime CSU professor, and the university’s Temple Grandin Equine Center studies equine-assisted services for autistic youth. Animal-based programs are not right for every child, and they can be a meaningful option for some, especially those who connect more easily with animals than with people at first.
Joining a research study
Because CSU is research-active, families sometimes find studies that offer free assessments, therapy sessions, or small stipends in exchange for participation. Legitimate studies use clear consent processes, and you can withdraw at any time. It is worth asking the psychology and occupational therapy departments what is currently recruiting, then weighing each opportunity on its own terms and your child’s comfort.
Local services that anchor the Fort Collins system
Beyond campus, a handful of Larimer County organizations form the backbone of long-term support. Knowing who does what saves a lot of phone tag.
Foothills Gateway and the Larimer County system
Foothills Gateway is the Community Centered Board and case management agency for Larimer County, which makes it the single point of entry for developmental disability services. They coordinate Medicaid waiver programs, including the children’s waivers, and run Family Support Services that can help cover respite care, adaptive equipment, and home modifications. If you only make one call as you get started, this is a strong place to begin.
A practical note: some Medicaid waiver slots carry waitlists, so getting your child’s name into the system early is worth doing even before you are sure which services you will use.
Early intervention and school support
For children under three, Foothills Gateway also coordinates Early Intervention services, which can begin based on developmental need before any formal diagnosis is finalized. Once your child reaches preschool age, Poudre School District handles special education evaluations on its own track.
A medical diagnosis and a school eligibility determination are two separate processes, and pursuing both at once often gets support in place sooner. If you are still watching for early signs of autism, that is a good reason to start the conversation with your pediatrician now.
Everyday community and sensory-friendly life
Support is not only clinics and paperwork. A lot of what makes a town livable for autism families is the ordinary stuff, done with a little more care.
Sensory-aware outings and recreation
Fort Collins has plenty of family destinations that work well for sensory needs with a bit of planning. The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery offers hands-on, self-paced exhibits, and many local venues, including the Poudre River Public Library District and city recreation programs, set aside quieter, sensory-aware times. It is always worth checking a venue’s calendar or calling ahead to ask what accommodations they offer.
Connecting with other families
Other parents are often the best source of practical wisdom. The Autism Society of Colorado maintains support groups and an events calendar that reach Northern Colorado, and Fort Collins hosts a local autism resource fair that brings providers and families together in one room. Finding even one or two families a few steps ahead of you can change how the whole journey feels.
The families I have seen do best are rarely the ones with the most services. They are the ones who found their people early, the parents who text each other about which clinic has openings and which playground stays calm on a Saturday morning. Programs come and go, and that kind of network tends to carry you through the gaps.
Where ABA therapy fits alongside community resources
Community programs and therapy work best together. ABA is one piece of a fuller picture, and it tends to be most effective when it connects to everything else in your child’s life.
How ABA works with school and the community
Applied Behavior Analysis helps children build communication, daily living, and social skills, and reduce behaviors that get in the way of learning or safety. The goal is skills your child can use everywhere, so a good plan coordinates with teachers, speech and occupational therapists, and the activities your family already enjoys.
Getting started in Fort Collins
If your child does not yet have a diagnosis, our team can point you toward the autism diagnosis process, and you can see how ABA works from there. We provide in-home ABA across the area, and you can meet our local team on the Fort Collins page. Many families also use summer ABA therapy to keep skills steady between school years.
We support nearby communities as well, including Greeley, Boulder, Thornton, and Denver, with more across our Colorado locations.
Ready to take the next step? Reach out to Achieve ABA Therapy Group, or call our office at 720-463-9000. We are happy to help you sort out which Fort Collins resources fit your child, and how ABA can support the rest.
FAQs about autism resources in Fort Collins
Do I need an autism diagnosis to use these resources?
Not always. Early Intervention for children under three and some university groups can begin based on need, while medical evaluations, ABA, and most Medicaid waivers do require a formal diagnosis.
What does Foothills Gateway do?
Foothills Gateway is the case management agency and Community Centered Board for Larimer County. It is the single point of entry for developmental disability services, including waiver enrollment and family support funding.
Can my child get an autism evaluation in Fort Collins?
Yes. Options include CSU’s Psychological Services Center, private developmental specialists across Larimer County, and university clinics farther south. Your pediatrician can refer you to the right fit.
Are there resources for autistic teens heading to college?
Yes. CSU’s Center for Community Partnerships offers inclusive programs like RAM Scholars and Thrive, and the Student Disability Center coordinates accommodations for enrolled students.
Does Health First Colorado cover ABA in Fort Collins?
For families who qualify, yes. Colorado Medicaid covers medically necessary ABA for children 20 and younger through its EPSDT benefit, with private insurance options as well.
Where should I start if I feel overwhelmed?
Pick one call to make this week, such as your pediatrician or Foothills Gateway. One step usually leads to the next, and you do not have to line up everything at once.
Sources:
- https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/ccp/programs/
- https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/ccp/resources/campus-and-community-resources/
- https://psychology.colostate.edu/psc/
- https://health.colostate.edu/about-hn-mental-health-services/
- https://www.ir.colostate.edu/student-data/
- https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/jfk-partners/clinical-services/assessment-and-treatment-services
- https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/index.html
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/autism-spectrum-disorder-asd
- https://hcpf.colorado.gov/epsdt
- https://hcpf.colorado.gov/pediatric-behavioral-therapies-provider-list