Autism Resources in San Jose, California

San Jose anchors Silicon Valley and one of California's deeper autism-services regions — and California itself works differently from most states. Under the Lanterman Act, Californians with autism are legally entitled to lifelong services through a Regional Center, not placed on a Medicaid-waiver waitlist. For Santa Clara County, that entry point is the San Andreas Regional Center. The region also holds strong clinical anchors in Stanford Medicine Children's Health and long-running local nonprofits like the Morgan Autism Center and Parents Helping Parents. This guide walks through what's available to San Jose families: diagnosis, therapy, schools, community and sensory-friendly activities, and how California's funding programs actually work.