Niagara Falls, ON
Resources for Ontario
Below is a compilation of resources for getting a diagnosis, applying for funding, building a support team, and securing extra support and human resources pertaining to the province of Ontario.
How to Get a Diagnostic Assessment
Visit a family doctor
Referral to your pediatrician or any qualified professionals for an assessment
— Or —
Go to one of Ontario’s 5 diagnostic Hubs for an assessment
Visit this link to find the closest diagnostic hub location to your home.
Extra People to Go to for Support
Other than your family doctor or pediatrician, there are extra people that you can go to for support.
*Note: to be eligible for the programs below, please register for the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) beforehand. Registration is free of charge.
Visit this link to learn more about the OAP. Please register to access governmental support for your child.
Foundational Family Services
Services provided by qualified providers across Ontario.
Services include:
Family and peer mentoring
Share experiences in a supportive, informative, and social atmosphere
Caregiver workshops and follow-up coaching sessions
Information, education and resources on a variety of topics
Brief targeted consultation
Direct support to help address a specific need and support your child’s skill development
Transition supports
Help prepare for your child’s personal and educational transitions as well as transitions to adulthood
Family resource and clinic days
Brainstorm, consult and problem-solve with professionals
Visit this link to learn more about the foundational family services, including eligibility and how to find services.
Caregiver-Mediated Early Years Programs
This program is available to children 12-48 months old.
Children receiving this service cannot be receiving core clinical services and cannot have an active behaviour plan.
Visit this link to learn more about the core clinical services.
Services are available in-person and online.
Services include:
Early social interaction/social communication emotional regulation and transactional supports (ESI/SCERTS)
For children to develop their communication, social, play, self-help, and motor skills through everyday activities and social activities
Joint attention, symbolic play, engagement and regulation (JASPER)
Trains caregivers and helps their child develop targeted skills
Pivotal response treatment (PRT)
Uses your child’s motivation to teach communication and social engagement
PLAY project
A program designed for children at all levels of need to further develop different skills
Project imPACT (Improving Parents as Communication Teachers)
Helps you and your child increase social communication, imitation and play skills through daily routines
Social ABCs
Improves toddler’s use of vocalization to communicate and share positive emotions with others
Sign ups are through invitations. If you are eligible for the program, an invitation will be sent to you.
Visit this link to learn more about the caregiver-mediated early years programs.
Entry to School Program
This program is available to children starting kindergarten or grade 1.
Children receiving this service cannot be receiving core clinical services.
Visit this link to learn more about the core clinical services.
This program helps your child develop school-readiness skills and provides transition supports.
The first part of the program lasts for 6 months prior to the start of school as your child develops important skills in a group setting.
The second part of the program also lasts for 6 months as your child receives individual support as they start school.
Sign ups are through invitations. If you are eligible for the program, an invitation will be sent to you.
Visit this link to learn more about the entry to school program.
Urgent Response Services
These services are available to children who experience a specific urgent need.
To access service:
Get referred or contact the lead organization if you think your child qualifies for the service
Visit this link to access the contact information of the nearest lead organization to your home.
Complete the intake process
Create an urgent response services plan
Implement the urgent response services plan
Ontario Autism Program (OAP) urgent response services DO NOT replace emergency or crisis support lines, and support is not offered 24/7.
Visit this link to learn more about the urgent response services.
Autism Funding
Below are some general steps to follow to help you navigate the funding process for autism much easier.
OAP Funding
After getting a diagnosis of autism and registering for the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), you may try for OAP funding.
You will need to:
Complete an intake process (provide further information about your child’s diagnosis)
Develop a Service Plan (outline the support and services your child needs)
AccessOAP will guide you through the entire process.
The funding then goes directly to you to be used for OAP core clinical services.
A year of extensive funding allocation can get you up to $65,000, depending on your child’s age and needs.
Start by creating an AccessOAP account.
Core Clinical Services
You can use the received funding towards OAP core clinical services.
Services include:
Applied behaviour analysis
Systematically teach your child skills
Reduces interfering behaviour that may be harmful or unsafe
Speech-language pathology
Helps your child in all areas of communication and social interaction
Supports the development of verbal and non-verbal communication, play and social learning
Occupational Therapy
Develop new skills that are important to them by partnering with them as they engage in meaningful activities
Mental health services
Counselling
Psychotherapy
Technology, program materials and/or therapy equipment at the recommendation of a regulated professional or Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA)
You will need to keep track of your expenses towards these services to report the amount of funding that you’ve spent.
Visit this link to learn more about the core clinical services.
Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program (ACSD)
If you do not qualify for OAP funding, you may still be eligible for the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program (ACSD).
To qualify, your total household income must be $74,760 or less (other factors are taken into account too).
Eligible parents and guardians can receive between $25 and $618 a month to help with disability-related costs.
Building a Support Team
After you receive funding from the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program, use it to build a support team.
The support team might include:
Behaviour Consultants (BC)
Assess child development and behaviour
Design and implement a behaviour plan of intervention
Coach parents
Care Providers
Provide medical care/treatments
Educators
Assist in the learning and knowledge intake of the child
Aid the child in following provided instructions
Health Professionals
Will be of assistance when concerns relating to the health of the child come up
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP)
Develop communication skills
Introduce communication tools
Help with oral motor skill development (eating, drinking, swallowing, etc.)
Support Workers
Work with the child to promote independence and wellbeing
Provide direct physical help when called for
Therapists
Work directly with the child
Practice skills with the child
Work towards individual goals with the child
Additional Community Programs and Resources
Here is a non-exhaustive list of other available programs and resources within Ontario. Feel free to share some with us should you have any more!
Visit the official website of the Government of Ontario — Ontario Autism Program for more information.