Autism benefits in California: 25 free things to ask for, worth up to $90,000 a year
For a child or adult with autism, an intellectual disability or another developmental disability. Tell us who it's for, and we'll email you a checklist with how to get each one.
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Want help with everyday skills at home?
That's adaptive skills training, and it's on your list. Our professionals teach skills like dressing, cooking and getting around, at home. Every professional has a master's degree, and your Regional Center covers the cost.
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What benefits can a child with autism get?
In California, a child or adult with autism, an intellectual disability or another developmental disability can get a lot of help that costs nothing. It comes from four places: your Regional Center, Medi-Cal, your county's IHSS program and Social Security. Some of it is money, like SSI. Some is care, like respite and help at home. Some is stuff, like diapers or a talking device.
Most families get only a few of these, because nobody hands them the whole list. Here it is, sorted by what it does for your family. Each one says who can get it and how to start.
Can you get disability for autism?
Often, yes. SSI is a disability check every month: up to $1,091 for a child in California. IHSS pays for care at home, and a parent can be the one paid. How many IHSS hours a child can get.
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SSI: a disability check every month
A check every month from Social Security: up to $1,091 for a child in California. Many children get less, because part of the parents' income counts. In California, SSI comes with Medi-Cal.
Who: A child whose disability limits them a lot, in a family under the income limit. As a rough guide, with no other children: one parent earning under about $4,300 a month from work, or two parents under about $5,300. Each other child at home raises that about $500. Social Security decides. Under 18.
How to start: Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. A child's SSI can't be done fully online, but the medical part can.
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IHSS: get paid to care for your child
Your county pays for the hands-on care your child needs at home, like help bathing, dressing, eating and staying safe. A parent can be the paid worker. In Los Angeles County, the pay is $19.64 an hour.
Who: Anyone on full-scope Medi-Cal who needs hands-on help to live safely at home. For a child, it's the help beyond what other kids that age need. Age 3 and up.
How to start: Apply to your county's IHSS office, and say you want to be the provider. Our guides: how to become your child's IHSS provider, and protective supervision for a child who can't see danger.
Free health care, therapy and diapers
Medi-Cal opens most of these doors. A child can often get it through the Regional Center, even if your family earns too much.
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Medi-Cal, even if you earn too much
Free health coverage: doctors, therapy, medicine, dental and more. It's also the key to IHSS and free diapers.
Who: Children and adults under the income limit. If you earn too much, a Regional Center client under 18 can often get it anyway, through the Regional Center's Medi-Cal waiver. Adults on SSI get it with SSI. Any age.
How to start: Under the limit? Apply at BenefitsCal. Over it, and a Regional Center client? Ask your service coordinator about the Medi-Cal waiver.
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Speech therapy and OT
Speech therapy, occupational therapy and other therapy a doctor orders, paid by Medi-Cal or your health plan. That includes behavior therapy for children.
Who: Anyone a doctor says needs it. For anyone under 21, Medi-Cal has to cover what's medically needed. Any age.
How to start: Ask your child's doctor for a referral, then call the number on your health plan card.
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Free diapers and pull-ups
Diapers and pull-ups, delivered to your door, for a child who isn't toilet trained. Adults can get them too.
Who: Medi-Cal covers them from age 5, and younger when a disability like autism or a delay is the reason. You need a doctor's prescription. The Regional Center can pay when Medi-Cal or insurance won't, often from age 3. Age 3 and up.
How to start: Ask your child's doctor for a prescription for incontinence supplies. Then call your health plan for a supply company.
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A free talking device (AAC)
A speech device, often an iPad or tablet with picture buttons that talk, for someone who can't count on speech. Medi-Cal and health plans can pay for it as medical equipment. At school, the IEP can give one.
Who: Anyone a speech therapist finds needs one. Any age.
How to start: Ask for a speech evaluation for a talking device, also called AAC.
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Free Medi-Cal rides to doctor visits
Medi-Cal pays for rides to medical, dental and therapy visits, and to the pharmacy. A parent can ride along.
Who: Anyone with full-scope Medi-Cal who has no other way to get there. Any age.
How to start: Call the member services number on your Medi-Cal plan card and ask for a ride. Book a few days ahead.
Free help from your Regional Center
Your Regional Center pays for services that help at home and out in the world. Each one goes into the plan, called the IPP. Not a client yet? Applying is free.
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Regional Center services
A service coordinator, a plan, and free services like respite, help at home and camp. The evaluation is free, and so are the services, whatever you earn.
Who: People with autism, an intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy or a similar condition that started before 18 and makes daily life much harder. Age 3 and up.
How to start: Call your Regional Center's intake line. Find yours by ZIP code, or see who qualifies.
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Adaptive skills training at home
From usA professional comes to your home and teaches the everyday skills your child is stuck on, like dressing, cooking, money and getting around. The Regional Center covers it, so it costs $0.
Who: Regional Center clients. Age 3 and up, with no upper limit.
How to start: Email your service coordinator, and copy team@aldera.org. How we do it.
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Respite: a break for you
Someone watches your child for a few hours, so you can rest, run errands or be with your other kids. Most children get 20 to 30 hours a month. A grandparent or a friend can be the paid worker.
Who: Regional Center clients who live at home with family. Age 3 and up.
How to start: Ask your service coordinator in writing. How respite works.
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Free summer camp, swim lessons and classes
Day camp, overnight camp, swim lessons, sports, art, dance and music. The Regional Center can't charge you a copay for it, or make you give up other services to get it.
Who: Regional Center clients. Age 3 and up.
How to start: Ask your service coordinator which camps and classes they can add. Name the one you want.
Want help with everyday skills at home?
That's adaptive skills training, and it's what we do. A professional comes to your home and teaches the skills your child is stuck on, one small step at a time.
- Every professional has a master's degree.
- On average, they have 9.3 years of experience.
- We match your child with someone who has helped kids like yours.
- Your Regional Center covers the cost, so your family pays $0.
It's for adults too. There's no upper age limit. How it works
Early intervention and free help at school
From age 3 until 22, your public school district owes your child a free education that fits them. Before 3, help comes from Early Start.
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Early Start: help for babies and toddlers
Free early intervention at home for a baby or toddler with a delay or a disability, like speech and play-based therapy, with coaching for you.
Who: Babies and toddlers with a delay or a disability, or a high chance of one. No diagnosis needed. Under 3.
How to start: Call your Regional Center's Early Start line, or 1-800-515-BABY. Anyone can refer a child.
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Special education (an IEP)
A free school plan that fits your child: special classes, an aide, speech or occupational therapy, and a ride to school. It runs from age 3 until a diploma or age 22.
Who: Students whose disability gets in the way of learning. Ages 3 to 22.
How to start: Ask the school, in writing, for a special education assessment.
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Free summer school (extended school year)
Summer school through the IEP, called extended school year, so your child doesn't lose skills over the break.
Who: Students with an IEP who would lose skills over the summer, made little progress this year, or just started a big new skill. Ages 3 to 22.
How to start: Ask about it at the IEP meeting, before spring. If the school says no.
Free park passes, sports and days out
Get a free pass to national parks, and play sports for free. Wait less at Disneyland and Universal. Some kids can even get a free service dog.
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A free national park pass (the Access Pass)
Free entry for life to national parks and other federal lands, for your child and everyone in your car. Many campgrounds give a discount too.
Who: U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a permanent disability. Any age.
How to start: Get it free at a national park or federal site, or order it online for a $12.50 fee.
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Special Olympics Southern California
Free teams and practices, all year. Ages 2 to 7 start with Young Athletes. From 8 up, there are 13 sports and no upper age limit.
Who: People with an intellectual disability. A child without one can still play as a teammate in Unified Sports. Age 2 and up.
How to start: Sign up at sosc.org.
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Disability passes at Disneyland and Universal
Disneyland's Disability Access Service gives you a return time, so you wait somewhere calmer instead of in line. Universal Studios Hollywood has a pass like it. Signing up has no fee.
Who: Guests who can't wait in a regular line because of autism or a similar disability. Age 3 and up.
How to start: Disneyland: sign up by live video chat up to 60 days before your visit. Universal: get the free IBCCES Accessibility Card first.
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A free service dog
A trained service dog, with free follow-up help for its whole life. You pay for travel to the two-week training, then food and vet care.
Who: Children with a developmental disability, including autism, who live with the parent who handles the dog. Ages 5 to 17.
How to start: Apply at canine.org. The wait can be long, so apply early.
Benefits for autistic teens and adults
Some of the best help starts at 16 or 18. A few things are worth doing the month they turn 18.
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SSI at 18: their own disability check
From the month after your child turns 18, Social Security counts only their own income and savings, not yours. Many young adults who couldn't get SSI before can get it now. In California, it's up to $1,233.94 a month, and Medi-Cal comes with it.
Who: Adults with a disability that keeps them from working much, with less than $2,000 in savings. From 18.
How to start: Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 in the month your child turns 18. Any earlier is too soon.
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Job training for students (Pre-ETS)
Job exploring, work experience and internships (some paid), job skills, and help planning for college, from the state's Department of Rehabilitation. The state calls it Student Services. Its other name is Pre-ETS.
Who: Students with an IEP, a 504 plan or a disability. Ages 16 to 21, still in school.
How to start: Ask your local Department of Rehabilitation office for Student Services, or email YouthServices@dor.ca.gov.
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Day programs and help living on their own
Day programs, job help, lessons in running a home, and staff who help an adult live in their own place, up to 24 hours a day.
Who: Regional Center clients. 18 and up.
How to start: Ask your service coordinator for a plan meeting about adult life.
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A paid internship
A real internship that pays minimum wage or more, for up to 1,040 hours a year.
Who: Regional Center clients, even if they're still in high school. 18 and up.
How to start: Ask your service coordinator to add the Paid Internship Program to the plan.
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Free buses and trains in LA County
Access Services gives curb-to-curb rides to people who can't ride the bus on their own. Once you're an Access rider, most buses and trains in LA County are free, including Metrolink inside the county.
Who: People who can't use the bus alone because of their disability, like not knowing which bus to take. Age 3 and up.
How to start: Call Access Services at 1-800-827-0829 to start an application.
Free help for parents, and for safety
Free help for parents, and a free way to find a child who wanders.
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Free help from parents who've been there
Free help from parents of children with disabilities, who know the Regional Center and special education from the inside. They help you plan, find services and get ready for meetings.
Who: Families of children with disabilities. Every Regional Center area has a center like this. Any age.
How to start: In Los Angeles: Family Focus Resource Center, (818) 677-6854. Westside Family Resource and Empowerment Center, (310) 258-4063. Eastern Los Angeles Family Resource Center, (626) 300-9171.
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A free tracking bracelet (L.A. Found)
A free tracking bracelet from LA County for someone who tends to wander. If they go missing, the Sheriff's search team can follow its signal.
Who: People in the Los Angeles area who wander because of autism, a developmental disability or another condition. Any age.
How to start: Apply at lafound.ad.lacounty.gov.
Questions parents ask
How much is a disability check for an autistic child?
Up to $1,091 a month in California in 2026. That's SSI, from Social Security. Many children get less, because part of the parents' income counts. At 18, only the young adult's own income counts, and the check can be up to $1,233.94 a month.
Can you get SSI for autism?
Yes, if autism limits your child a lot and your family earns under the limit. A diagnosis alone isn't enough. Send Social Security the reports you have, like the school's. They show how hard daily life is.
Is autism a disability?
Yes. California law calls autism a developmental disability. That law is the Lanterman Act. So a child with autism can get Regional Center help when daily life is much harder. For SSI, it counts when it limits your child a lot. At school, it can get your child special education.
How much financial help can you get for a child with autism?
Up to about $90,000 a year, for a child who qualifies for the most. In Los Angeles County, IHSS can pay for up to $66,697 a year of care at home: 283 hours a month at $19.64 an hour. SSI pays up to $13,095 a year. Respite adds about $8,600 to $13,000 a year: 20 to 30 hours a month at about $36 an hour. Most families get less, because each one has its own rules.
Are these benefits really free?
Yes. Regional Center services cost $0, whatever you earn. Medi-Cal, IHSS and SSI cost nothing too, but each has its own rules. The one fee on the list is optional: the park pass costs $12.50 if you order it online.
We earn too much. Can we still get help?
Often, yes. Regional Center services don't look at what you earn. And the Regional Center can often get a child Medi-Cal that counts only the child's own income. That one step can open the door to IHSS and free diapers.
If the Regional Center adds a service, will our IHSS or respite go down?
No. Adding a service doesn't touch your IHSS or respite. By state rule, the county leaves Regional Center care in your home out of the IHSS math. Read the rule.
What benefits can autistic adults get?
Most of the same ones. Most have no upper age limit. At 18, SSI counts only their own income, so many young adults can get it. Adults can also get Regional Center day programs, a paid internship, and free buses and trains in LA County. Pick "18 and up" in the checklist for the adult list.
Do we need a diagnosis first?
No. You can apply to the Regional Center without one, and it checks your child for free. At school, ask in writing for free testing.
Get your checklist
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