The Tri-Cities — Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland, plus West Richland and the rest of Benton and Franklin counties — has strong, credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by the Children's Developmental Center and Trios Health, with academic referrals at Seattle Children's and the UW Autism Center. Your local districts — Kennewick (KSD), Pasco (PSD), and Richland (RSD) — each run special education. This is the Tri-Cities' own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and clinics where we can verify them, ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification), never by reviews or who pays. In Washington your free front door is Early Support for Infants & Toddlers (ESIT, birth–3) and your school district's evaluation and IEP for ages 3+. Pasco's large Hispanic community means bilingual, Spanish-speaking help is widely available here — ask for it. Start there, then the best evaluators, schools, reading specialists, therapists, doctors, and advocates near you.
✓ Every provider here is vetted by credentials, never pay-to-play. How we choose →
A private school dedicated to individualized education for students on the autism spectrum and with related learning challenges, with small classrooms and a structured, evidence-informed approach. Serves families across Washington including the Tri-Cities.
Kennewick School District serves students ages birth to 21 with specialized programs — autism support, behavior, and life-skills — within an inclusion model. Pasco and Richland run their own as well. In the Tri-Cities the strongest specialized placements are most often within the public districts; insist on the right program through the IEP process.
As your child nears age 3, the Children's Developmental Center helps families transition from early intervention into district preschool special education and community programs — a knowledgeable local partner in finding the right next placement across Benton and Franklin counties.
PAVE, Washington's Parent Training and Information Center, offers free help weighing options and pushing for the right program through the IEP process, with Spanish-language support — invaluable for Tri-Cities families deciding between district programs and private options.
The Kennewick district's special-services department provides IEP-driven supports across its schools, with autism specialists, school psychologists, speech/OT/PT therapists, and an 18-21 transition program.
Richland's special-education department runs the full continuum of IEP services and adult-transition/employment programming for students through age 21.
Pasco serves over 85% of special-education students in their neighborhood schools and operates intensive supports including Bridges behavioral classrooms and a dedicated transition center for the most significant needs.
An OSPI-recognized, Cognia-accredited Alternative Learning Experience K-12 school in the Richland district that builds highly individualized plans, a strong fit for families wanting a flexible, lower-pressure setting alongside district SPED services.
A clinic offering autism diagnostic evaluations (ages 1-9) and center-based ABA therapy for younger children, often used by families before or alongside school placement.
A long-standing Richland nonprofit providing state ESIT early-intervention, specialized instruction, speech/OT/PT, and ABA for young children with disabilities across Benton and Franklin counties.
The local Arc chapter offers parent and family support, advocacy, and a vetted list of area ABA providers for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a useful starting point for navigating services.
A Tri-Cities provider led by a C-SLDS-certified specialist delivering one-on-one Orton-Gillingham / Wired for Reading dyslexia instruction and dyslexia screenings for struggling readers.
These public schools and programs have a solid track record in special education — but we don’t re-check them every year. Staff, leadership, and programs change from building to building and year to year. Treat this as a strong starting point, and confirm the current fit for your child.
District special-education department led by a Director of Special Education, providing free IEP services, autism supports, and an off-campus Community Based Transition Center (CBTC) for students 18-22. Programs change year to year - confirm current placements with the district.
District Special Services department offering free special-education programs, evaluations, and family resources across Pasco schools, including bilingual support for the district's large Spanish-speaking community. Programs change year to year - confirm current offerings with the district.
A pediatric primary-care practice designated as a Center of Excellence for autism diagnosis, offering autism screening, diagnostic evaluation, developmental-delay and ADHD assessment, with in-office and virtual options. Serves all of the Tri-Cities.
A psychological-services center providing comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, including evaluation for Autism Spectrum Disorders, intelligence, memory, attention, language, and executive function. Conducted by licensed psychology staff.
A Richland-based neuropsychology and counseling practice providing neuropsychological evaluation and testing for children and adults, including developmental and cognitive assessment. Long-standing local clinic.
Specializes in evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of children on the autism spectrum using research-based, data-driven programs. Serves Kennewick, Pasco, West Pasco, Richland, and surrounding areas.
Caravel Autism Health's Kennewick clinic provides autism diagnostic evaluation for young children (roughly 12 months to 9 years) and follow-on treatment — a local, in-town path to a formal diagnosis without driving to Seattle. Ask about their diagnostic team's credentials and insurance/Medicaid coverage.
For complex cases, Seattle Children's Autism Center is the region's nationally regarded home for autism diagnostic evaluation and treatment, and the UW Autism Center is another academic option. A drive from the Tri-Cities, but the academic referral when a local evaluation isn't enough.
The American Board of Professional Psychology's directory lists clinicians who passed board certification in clinical neuropsychology — the credential to verify in any private evaluator across the Tri-Cities, instead of trusting star ratings.
Washington law requires districts to screen K–2 students for dyslexia indicators and provide evidence-based, multisensory, structured-literacy intervention. Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland must offer this free — request dyslexia screening and services in writing, and know your rights before paying for private tutoring.
Petersen Education Services serves Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland with dyslexia screening, structured-literacy tutoring, and educational consulting; founder Melissa Petersen is a Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (C-SLDS) trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach — a credentialed, evidence-based local choice for private dyslexia help.
The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators lists accredited O-G practitioners searchable near the Tri-Cities (in person and online). The gold-standard credential for a private dyslexia tutor, instead of trusting ads — avoid any program selling 'vision therapy' or Brain Balance, which lack evidence.
A huge audiobook/highlighting library — free for students with a qualifying reading disability, so your child keeps up with grade-level books while they learn to decode.
A private practice offering speech-language pathology and pediatric occupational therapy, staffed by ASHA-certified speech-language pathologists (CCC-SLP). Long-running Tri-Cities practice with Kennewick and Richland presence.
Provides ABA-based behavioral therapy, early intervention, and family education for children, accepting insurance and Medicaid. Serves Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland.
Caravel Autism Health's Kennewick clinic provides BCBA-led applied behavior analysis for young children with autism, alongside its diagnostic services — a credentialed local autism provider. Ask about BHCOE accreditation and insurance/Medicaid coverage (Child Enrichment Center, Imagine Behavior, and Discovery Behavior Solutions also serve the Tri-Cities).
Agape Pediatric Therapy is a Richland outpatient clinic providing occupational, physical, speech, and feeding therapy for children from birth to age 21 — a credentialed, child-friendly local clinic for kids with autism, sensory processing, ADHD, and developmental delays.
For the youngest children, the Children's Developmental Center delivers speech, occupational, and physical therapy plus specialized instruction under one roof as part of its early-intervention program, and offers ABA for children roughly ages 2–6 — a deep, coordinated, low/no-cost option in the Tri-Cities.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across the Tri-Cities, ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland find the nearest credentialed clinician.
Trios Health provides pediatric care in Kennewick — a strong local medical starting point for developmental concerns and referrals, with Seattle Children's and the UW Autism Center as the academic referrals for complex autism, ADHD, and developmental diagnoses (Lourdes Health serves Pasco/Franklin County too).
Tri-Cities Community Health, a federally qualified health center with sites in Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland, offers pediatric care on a sliding-fee scale with Spanish-speaking staff — an affordable medical home and starting point for developmental concerns regardless of insurance.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians serving the Tri-Cities — the credential to verify for a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving the Tri-Cities — the field's real professional standard.
PAVE is Washington's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free help understanding your rights, evaluations, and the IEP process, with Spanish-language support. A respected statewide free resource before hiring a private advocate.
The Arc of Tri-Cities promotes the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through parent and family support, advocacy, and a directory of vetted local ABA providers — a free, trusted local first stop in Richland for Benton/Franklin families.
For children birth to 3, the Children's Developmental Center provides free developmental evaluations and multidisciplinary early-intervention therapies across Benton and Franklin counties — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in the Tri-Cities.
Tri-Cities Community Health offers pediatric and behavioral-health care on a sliding-fee scale with Spanish-speaking staff at sites in Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland — affordable care and developmental referrals regardless of insurance or immigration status.
The Arc of Tri-Cities offers free parent and family support, advocacy, and connections to local services for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities — a no-cost local resource in Richland before you pay anyone.
PAVE offers free help understanding evaluations, IEPs, and your rights, with Spanish-language support — a no-cost first call for any Tri-Cities family navigating special education.
For children birth to 3 with a developmental delay or disability, the Children's Developmental Center — the ESIT early-intervention provider for Benton and Franklin counties — offers free developmental screening and evaluation plus speech, occupational, and physical therapy and specialized instruction. The earliest, no-barrier place to start in the Tri-Cities, with bilingual support available.
Request a special-education evaluation in writing from your district — Kennewick (KSD), Pasco (PSD), or Richland (RSD). In Washington the district must complete the evaluation within 35 school days of your written consent, then hold an eligibility/IEP meeting. This is the free legal route to an IEP under IDEA — and you can request the meeting in Spanish.
Washington's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are denied. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Federally funded and free — they help Washington families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Washington's protection & advocacy agency — free legal-rights information and help if your child's rights are being denied.
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How do I start the special-education process in Tri-Cities?
Put your request in writing to your child's school, asking for a full special-education evaluation — that is the legal first step. On A New Story you'll find a free, ready-to-send evaluation-request letter you can use today.
How long does a special-education evaluation take?
Once you give written consent, the school generally must complete the evaluation and hold an eligibility meeting within a set timeline (often around 60 days, though it varies by state). Putting your request in writing starts the clock.
Can my school district pay for a private special-education school?
Sometimes. If the public school can't provide an appropriate education, the district can be required to fund a state-approved nonpublic placement. It isn't automatic — it takes the right evaluation and advocacy — but families do it every year, including ones with limited funds.
What's the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan?
An IEP provides specialized instruction and services under IDEA; a 504 plan provides accommodations under civil-rights law. A New Story's free guides walk you through which one fits your child.
Where can I find free special-education help in Tri-Cities?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Washington — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.