Autism In-Home Care for Adults and Children

Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia

Compassionate Support for High-Needs Autism

Caring for a loved one with autism—especially those with severe autism and high support needs—requires experience, skill, and compassion. At Specialty Care Services (SCS), we provide personalized in-home care that helps children and adults thrive in the comfort of their own homes, while giving families peace of mind. Our services are designed for individuals who:

• Are nonverbal
• Need assistance with daily activities
• Have complex behavioral or medical needs

We understand the unique challenges families face and offer dependable, empathetic care tailored to each individual. Our compassionate & personalized in-home care helps children or adults with severe autism thrive in the comfort of their home. This supports their families with skilled, reliable assistance. From daily personal care to 24/7 nursing support, we’re here to meet your loved one’s needs.

Caring for a loved one with autism, especially those with severe autism who have high support needs, requires experience, skill, compassion, and the right team of professionals.

At Specialty Care Services, we provide autism home care that helps both children and adults thrive in their most comfortable settings while giving their families the peace of mind they deserve. Our services are tailored for individuals who require significant daily support, including those who are nonverbal, need assistance with most daily activities, or live with complex behavioral and medical needs.

Who We Serve, and Why

We proudly serve adults and children with severe/high support need autism.

According to studies, approximately 7.9 million people in the U.S. live with autism—2.5 million children and 5.4 million adults. The areas Specialty Care Services provides care across the DC metro area represent about 1.85% of the U.S. population, meaning roughly 147,000 individuals in the areas we serve live with autism. [1] [2]

Research shows that only 5% of adults diagnosed with autism live independently—most require daily support or in-home assistance to meet basic needs. [3] [4]  This means that 95% of those with autism in the DC area require assistance on a regular basis.

Why We Help Those With Autism in the DC Metro Area:

This reality means hundreds of thousands of families in Montgomery County MD, Prince George’s County MD, Howard County MD, Frederick County MD, Washington DC, Fairfax County VA, and Arlington County VA are looking for dependable, compassionate autism in-home care.

Providing in-home care for the autistic population is not only important, but often necessary. Home care allows autistic individuals with high support needs to receive personalized assistance in the environment where they feel safest and most comfortable: their own home. Our autism focused home care helps reduce sensory overload and anxiety that can occur in institutional settings, improve consistency in their daily routines, and provide opportunities for community integration.

For many families, the home support Specialty Care Services provides can make the difference between struggling and thriving – for both the patient and their loved ones.

How We Provide Care

We create personalized care plans  for our autistic patients depending on their needs, which can include:

1. Companion Care

• Provides social interaction, supervision, and structured activities
• Supports participation in hobbies, games, and community outings
• Helps reduce isolation and increase engagement
• Provides after-school care and support

2. Personal Care

• Assistance with bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding
• Help with toileting and incontinence care
• Support with mobility and transfers
• Always promoting dignity and comfort

3. Nursing Care

• A registered nurse performs a healthcare assessment to identify needs
• Development of a personalized care plan tailored to the individual
• Medication management, behavioral health support, and health monitoring
• Training for caregivers on medical and behavioral best practices

4. Respite Care

• Short-term relief for family caregivers
• Care provided in the home so loved ones can rest, travel, or attend to other responsibilities
• Flexible scheduling to meet urgent or planned needs

5. 24/7 Care

• Around-the-clock home support for individuals with high or complex care needs
• Overnight monitoring to ensure safety, comfort, and prompt response to needs
• Continuous personal care, companion care, and nursing oversight as required

When you connect with our team, we can assess your loved one’s requirements for care and determine which care option(s) would be best suited for them and you.

The Providers We Collaborate With and Recommend

To give our autism clients the best possible outcomes, we work closely with:

• Speech-Language Pathologists – for communication skill development and AAC device training
• Occupational Therapists – to improve fine motor skills, sensory regulation, and daily living abilities
• Primary Care Providers – for ongoing medical oversight and coordination of care
• Behavioral & Developmental Healthcare Providers – including ABA specialists, psychologists, and social workers

We can recommend trusted providers in our service areas or collaborate with your existing care team to give our autistic clients the greatest level of care possible.

What Areas We Serve – And Why

We provide specialized autism home care in:

• Montgomery County, MD –  Over 763 individuals are currently on the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) waitlist for support [6], showing high unmet need.
• Prince George’s County, MD – Growing demand for in-home autism support due to population growth and expanded autism diagnosis rates. [7] This means there’s a higher need for providers and caretakers for both autistic children and adults.
• Howard County, MD – Autism is the second-largest disability group in the county’s public schools, signaling long-term developmental disability adult support needs. [8]
• Frederick County, MD – Research shows that ~80% of students in non-public placements had autism and/or emotional-behavioral disabilities. [9] This specialized group indicating complex support needs that often carry into adulthood.
• Washington, DC – The DDA now serves people with developmental disabilities, expanding adult autism eligibility and the quantity of services allowed to be provided [10]. This allows our autism home care in Washington DC more holistic and effective.
• Fairfax County, VA – Large Priority One waitlist for Virginia’s DD Waiver; significant adult support needs. The Virginia Developmental Disabilities Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) provides developmental disability waivers to help fund required care for those with developmental disabilities, including Specialty Care Service’s autism home care. [11]
• Arlington County, VA – A high number of individuals who requested support from DDA but have not yet received care, showing a high need for independent care and services that Specialty Care Services provides.

How It Works – Step-by-Step

We make getting started with autism in-home care simple:

1. Initial RN Assessment: A registered nurse visits your home to assess the individual’s medical, behavioral, and personal care needs.
2. Personalized Care Plan: We create a care plan that details daily routines, health protocols, communication supports, and behavior management strategies.
3. Care Team Assignment: We match your loved one with our team’s trained caregivers and nurses experienced in severe autism home care.
4. Daily Care and Support: Caregivers provide personal care, companion care, nursing care, respite care, or 24/7 care depending on the individual’s needs.
5. Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments: Nurses and care coordinators check in regularly and perform reassessments to update the care plan as needs change.
6. Graduation or Transfer of Care: If goals are met or a different care setting is needed, we ensure a smooth transition with all providers informed and prepared.

How Autism Home Care Patients Find Us

Families often search for our services using terms such as “in-home autism care,” “autism personal care at home,” “autism behavior support in home,” “autism home care provider,” “autism home nursing provider,” “autism caregiving services at home,” “care for nonverbal autistic adult.”

If you have been searching for these services, you’re in the right place.

Sources

1.     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder.”
  https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html
  Accessed August 2025.

2.     United States Census Bureau. “National Population by Characteristics: 2020–2024.”
  https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-national-detail.html
  Accessed August 2025.

3.     Golden Steps ABA. “How Many Adults with Autism Live Independently?”
  https://www.goldenstepsaba.com/resources/how-many-adults-with-autism-live-independently
  Accessed August 2025.

4.     Howlin, P., Moss, P., Savage, S., & Rutter, M. “Social Outcomes in Mid- to Later Adulthood Among Individuals Diagnosed with Autism and Average Nonverbal IQ as Children.” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2024.
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36519265/
  Accessed August 2025.

5.     Montgomery County Government. “Commission on People with Disabilities: Annual Report 2024.”
  https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/Resources/Files/A%26D%20Docs/CPWD/CPWD2024AnnualReport.pdf
  Accessed August 2025.

6.     Montgomery County Government. “Commission on People with Disabilities: Annual Report 2024.”
  https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/Resources/Files/A%26D%20Docs/CPWD/CPWD2024AnnualReport.pdf
  Accessed August 2025.

7.     Prince George’s County Public Schools. “Special Education Services – Autism Programs.”
  https://www.pgcps.org/offices/special-education
  Accessed August 2025.

8.     Howard County Public School System. “Special Education Staffing Plan 2023–2024.”
  https://www.hcpss.org/f/specialeducation/staffing-plan.pdf
  Accessed August 2025.

9.     Frederick County Public Schools. “Special Education Annual Report.”
  https://www.fcps.org/academics/special-education
  Accessed August 2025.

10. District of Columbia Department on Disability Services. “FY 2023–2024 Director Performance Oversight Hearing Testimony.”
  https://dds.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dds/release_content/attachments/FY%2023-24%20Director%20POH%20Testimony%20-%20final.pdf
  Accessed August 2025.

11. Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. “Developmental Disabilities Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waivers.”
  https://dbhds.virginia.gov/developmental-services/waivers
  Accessed August 2025.