Here’s a number that should bother you: roughly 1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. In Iowa, that’s a significant portion of the population. Now here’s the number that should bother you more: most of them don’t have a provider who truly understands how their brain works.
We decided to do something about that.
Why We Built a Iowa-Specific Directory
In a state built on community, neurodivergent families are building their own. The Hawkeye State has its own healthcare ecosystem, its own insurance landscape, its own geographic challenges. A national directory that happens to include some Iowa providers doesn’t cut it.
So we built something focused. Our Iowa directory includes 1,634 providers across Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Waterloo, Dubuque and surrounding communities. Each one has been scored on a 10-point neuro-affirming scale. Not just “do they accept patients with ADHD” but “do they actually practice in a way that respects neurodivergent identity.”
What the Numbers Tell Us
Let me share some of what we found while building this directory for Iowa:
66% of providers offer telehealth. That’s significant because executive function challenges, sensory overwhelm, and just plain geography can all make in-person visits harder for neurodivergent people. Telehealth isn’t a lesser option — for many neurodivergent individuals, it’s the better one.
The providers in our directory serve every age group — children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. That last category matters more than people think. There are people in their 60s and 70s finally understanding why their whole life felt slightly out of sync.
We found providers with specialties spanning ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and Sensory Processing. The best ones — the ones scoring 5+ on our scale — tend to work across multiple neurotypes because they understand that neurodivergence rarely shows up in neat, isolated categories.
The Red Flags We Watch For
Not every provider who claims neurodivergent expertise actually practices affirming care. In building this directory, we developed a red flag system that screens for compliance-based approaches.
Specifically, we flag providers who offer ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy, behavioral interventions, or compliance-based behavioral support. These approaches prioritize conforming to neurotypical standards rather than supporting the neurodivergent person’s actual needs.
This is a stance we take deliberately. We know it’s not uncontroversial. We also know it’s right.
If you’re a parent in Iowa who’s been told ABA is the only option for your autistic child, our directory exists in part to show you that it’s not. Strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming providers are here, and they’re doing transformative work.
Your Iowa Search Strategy
Searching for a provider can feel overwhelming, especially when your brain is the exact kind that gets overwhelmed by too many options. Here’s a simple approach:
First, decide your format. Telehealth or in-person? In Iowa, you’ve got 1,085 telehealth options, so don’t limit yourself to your immediate area if remote works for you.
Second, filter by what matters most. Insurance acceptance, specific neurotype expertise, age group, sliding scale availability — our directory lets you narrow by what actually affects your decision.
Third, check the score. Our Neuro-Affirming Score ranges from 0 to 10. Providers at 5+ have demonstrated real commitment to affirming practice through multiple indicators. Providers at 7+ are exceptional.
Fourth, do a vibe check. Visit their website. How do they talk about neurodivergence? Is it framed as a deficit or a difference? Do they mention accommodation? Do they make booking accessible?
The Iowa Neurodivergent Landscape
Iowa’s neurodivergent community is growing — not because more people are becoming neurodivergent, but because awareness is finally catching up to reality. Institutions like University of Iowa Hospitals are contributing to research and training that’s shifting how providers think about neurodiversity.
But there’s still a gap between awareness and accessible care. That gap is what this directory exists to bridge. Not with marketing fluff, but with verified, scored, transparent information about who’s actually doing this work well.
This Is Just the Beginning
Our Iowa directory launched with 1,634 providers, and it’s growing. We’re actively collecting additional data on communication accommodations, sensory environments, and intake accessibility — the stuff that actually determines whether a neurodivergent person can successfully access care.
If you’re a provider in Iowa who’s committed to affirming practice, get listed. If you’re neurodivergent and you found someone great through us, help us verify them. This directory gets better every time someone engages with it.
Because the goal isn’t just a list. The goal is a Iowa where every neurodivergent person can find care that meets them where they are, not where someone else thinks they should be.