A Utah County clinic for children with autism and other special needs is the latest to feel the sting of state budget cuts.

The county-run Children with Special Health Care Needs Clinic closed its doors for the last time Friday as news came down from the state that there isn't any money left to keep it open. The clinic had treated youth up to 18 with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and a host of other conditions whose families met the poverty guidelines set forth by Medicaid. Now those under 6 are being referred to Salt Lake City clinics, while the older children and their families are "on their own," said Jackie Evans-Black, clinical bureau director for Utah County.

"The program's been here for many, many years, and we've enjoyed having it here. To see something close up, definitely, it's very, very sad," she said. "There's going to be a lot of families that are going to be left alone to deal with these circumstances."

Evans-Black said the county got word that the clinic would be shutting down just before Christmas, but the shadow of fiscal troubles has been looming overhead for several years. When the Legislature met in special session in September 2008 to tighten funding, it was just a matter of time, she said. Now the roughly 500 scheduled patients will have to look to other sources, like private providers, to continue treatment.

The reality is that many families in the clinic's income bracket can't afford private treatment -- this may be the end of regular professional help for their children, she said.

"Certainly, we'll refer them to places that we're aware of to try to get help, but a lot of families will just be on their own to deal with some of their special needs," she said.

Utah County's is the first satellite clinic to be shuttered because of tight finances, but it may not be the last. Other clinics exist in Moab, Monticello, Ogden, Price, Richfield, St. George and Vernal. Evans-Black said there are rumors that her clinic was just the first of many.

"I think this is the beginning of more to come," she said. "I think it's pretty permanent. From my viewpoint, it doesn't look like it's temporary."

George Delavan, the state's division director of Community and Family Health Services, said Utah County was given about $63,000 a year under a contract with the state to provide nursing and clerical services for the clinic, which was open generally two or three days a month. The rest of the money for specialists, including experts in orthopedics, pediatrics, occupational therapy, psychology, audiology and speech pathology, also came from the state -- and the bills have been adding up.

"I would guess that we're probably talking maybe at least $20,000 in professional clinician time a year," Delavan said.

The county Health Department has posted a list of alternative resources for families on its Web site at http://www.co.utah.ut.us.

• Ace Stryker can be reached at 344-2556 or astryker@heraldextra.com.