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Ontario Autism Program: What Families Need to Know

FEBRUARY 10, 2026

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For many families raising a child with autism in Ontario, the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) can feel overwhelming. Families often tell us they’re trying to make sense of new terminology, multiple service options, and knowing where to begin.

Some families are brand new to autism services in Ontario. Others have registered with the OAP but still feel unsure about what happens next, how funding works and where providers like Surrey Place fit in.

This guide breaks down the Ontario Autism Program in plain language and highlights the support families can access at different stages in their journey.

What Is the Ontario Autism Program (OAP)?

The Ontario Autism Program (OAP) is a provincially funded program that supports autistic children and youth under the age of 18, along with their caregivers. Its purpose is to help families access services that support learning, development, and overall well-being.

In recent years, the OAP has evolved toward a more needs-based approach. This means the program focuses on understanding each child’s strengths and needs.

Families connect with the OAP through AccessOAP, the province’s centralized intake and registration system.

How the Ontario Autism Program Works

The Ontario Autism Program is designed to:

  • Understand a child or youth’s strengths and support needs
  • Help families learn about autism services available across Ontario
  • Provide free services that families can access right away

AccessOAP is the main point of contact for:

One of the most common questions families ask is: how and when funding for Core Clinical Services becomes available?

The OAP Funding Process: Step-by-Step

Core Clinical Services funding is one important part of the OAP, but it’s not the starting point, and it’s not the only support available.

  1. Registration

Once a child is registered through AccessOAP, families can begin accessing Foundational Family Services or Urgent Response Services immediately. Families may also receive invitations to other services, such as Caregiver-Mediated Early Years, or Entry to School, if eligible. At the same time, your child is placed on the waitlist for Core Clinical Services funding.

2. Invitation to Core Clinical Services

When it is a family’s turn to receive Core Clinical funding, you will receive an invitation along with an email notifying you of a new message in your account.

Important: Families are invited into Core Clinical Services in the order they registered with the OAP. Timelines do not vary based on need, which is why many families access other supports while waiting.

3. Welcome Call

After accepting the invitation, an AccessOAP Care Coordinator contacts you to complete a welcome call and schedule the Determination of Needs (DON) assessment.

4. Determination of Needs (DON) Assessment

The DON is typically completed once a year with a Care Coordinator and typically takes 3–4 hours. It looks at a child’s strengths, needs, and goals across areas like communication, social and daily living skills and behaviour and emotional regulation. Based on this assessment, children are assigned a level of support need: limited, moderate, or extensive.

5. Funding Outcome

Once the DON is complete, the Care Coordinator shares the funding outcome with the family Funding. amounts are based on the child’s age and assessed needs:

  • Up to 3 years old: $10,900 – $65,000
  • From 4 to 9 years old: $8,900 – $65,000
  • From 10 to 14 years old: $7,600 – $41,400
  • From 15 to 17 years old: $6,600 – $31,900

6. Funding Agreement

Families then sign a funding agreement outlining eligible services, how funds can be used, and how invoices must be submitted and reconciled.

7. Funding Deposits

  • Funding under $25,000 is deposited in one installment
  • Funding over $25,000 is deposited in installments of $25,000
  • Families must submit invoices for the first installment before additional funds are released
  • All expenses must be reconciled by the end of the funding year before the process begins again

What can OAP funding be used for?

OAP funding can be used for eligible autism services, including:

  • Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) to build communication, social, and emotional regulation skills
  • Speech language pathology to support communication needs
  • Occupational therapy to support sensory processing, motor skills, and daily living skills
  • Mental health services for children and families needing emotional or behavioural support
  • Travel expenses (when eligible)
  • Therapy equipment, such as noise-cancelling headphones or lap pads, to support regulation
  • Assistive technology, like tablets, for communication purposes

Family Tip

Funding decisions can feel complex. Many families find it helpful to learn how funding works before an invitation to Core Clinical Services arrives, so they feel more prepared.

For families, a practical step-by-step overview of what to do after registering with the OAP (including setting up AccessOAP, accessing free services, and exploring other financial supports), see our guide: “You’ve Registered for OAP – What’s Next? Top 5 Steps for GTA Families.”

What Services Can I Receive While Waiting for Funding?

Foundational Family Services are free supports available to families registered with the Ontario Autism Program, designed to help build skills and confidence while families wait for other services or funding and even after funding begins.

Families can access Foundational Family Services as soon as they are registered with AccessOAP. There is no limit to how many Foundational Family Services families can attend, and no formal intake is required.

Services offered through Foundational Family Services include:

  • Caregiver workshops on topics such as understanding autism, communication, emotional regulation, challenging behaviours, transitions, and funding navigation
  • Follow-up coaching sessions to help families apply strategies at home
  • Family and peer mentoring, including caregiver support groups
  • Brief caregiver counselling with a Social Worker
  • Family resource and clinic days, including 1:1 support with service navigation and funding applications

How Families Benefit from Early and Ongoing Supports

Families who attend Foundational Family Services workshops often describe a noticeable shift. Instead of feeling unsure about what comes next, many report feeling:

  • More confident in supporting their child’s learning and development
  • Better equipped to manage everyday challenges at home
  • Less alone while navigating the system

Families often arrive feeling unsure about what they can do right now. Once they learn about Foundational Family Services, there’s a real shift and they realize there are meaningful supports they can access immediately to help their child and their family.

Stephanie Jarvis, Family Support Consultant

Family Tip

You don’t need to wait until challenges feel overwhelming. Many families find it helpful to access Foundational Family Services early, so they can build skills and confidence over time.

Orientation to the Ontario Autism Program at Surrey Place

One of the most helpful starting points for families is our Orientation to the Ontario Autism Program, offered as part of Foundational Family Services.

What families learn

Families leave the workshop with a clearer understanding of:

  • How the Ontario Autism Program is structured
  • What autism services are available now versus by invitation
  • Which services are free and which require funding
  • How OAP funding can be used at Surrey Place and other providers
  • How to connect with additional Foundational Family Services and supports

The workshop also introduces families to our Foundational Family Services team, and explains how to access:

  • Ongoing workshops and learning opportunities
  • Resource and service navigation support
  • Help exploring additional funding options

Family Tip

Bring your questions, even the ones you’re not sure how to ask. Many families find reassurance in hearing other caregivers ask similar questions.

Finding Clarity and Support Along the Way

Navigating the Ontario Autism Program is about more than understanding policies and processes. It’s about helping families feel supported and confident at every stage.

Our Foundational Family Services and Orientation to the Ontario Autism Program workshop provide practical tools, trustworthy information, and connection right when families need it.

Explore our upcoming Orientation to the Ontario Autism Program or connect with the Foundational Family Services team at FoundationalFamilyServices@surreyplace.ca or 416-925-5141 ext. 2590 for support finding the right next step.

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By 2 months

Has your baby had their hearing screened? YES NO

By 6 months

Does the child?

Startle in response to loud noises? YES NO
Turn to where a sound is coming from? YES NO
Make different cries for different needs (hungry, tired)? YES NO
Watch your face as you talk? YES NO
Smile/laugh in response to your smiles and laughs? YES NO
Imitate coughs or other sounds such as ah, eh, buh YES NO

By 9 months

Does the child?

Respond to their name? YES NO
Respond to the telephone ringing or a knock at the door? YES NO
Understand being told no? YES NO
Get what they want through using gestures (reaching to be picked up)? YES NO
Play social games with you (Peek-a-Boo)? YES NO
Enjoy being around people? YES NO
Babble and repeat sounds such as babababa or duhduhduh? YES NO

By 12 months

Does the child?

Follow simple one-step directions (sit down)? YES NO
Look across the room to a toy when adult points at it? YES NO
Consistently use three to five words? YES NO
Use gestures to communicate (waves hi/bye, shakes head for no)? YES NO
Get your attention using sounds, gestures and pointing while looking at your eyes? YES NO
Bring you toys to show you? YES NO
Perform for social attention and praise? YES NO
Combine lots of sounds together as though talking (abada baduh abee)? YES NO
Show an interest in simple picture books? YES NO

By 18 months

Does the child?

Understand the meaning of in and out, off and on? YES NO
Point to more than 2 body parts when asked? YES NO
Use at least 20 words consistently? YES NO
Respond with words or gestures to simple questions (Where's teddy? What's that?)? YES NO
Demonstrate some pretend play with toys (gives teddy bear a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat)? YES NO
Make at least four different consonant sounds (p ,b, m, n, d, g, w, h)? YES NO
Enjoy being read to and sharing simple books with you? YES NO
Point to pictures using one finger? YES NO

By 2 years

Does the child?

Follow two-step directions (Go find your teddy bear and show it to Grandma.)? YES NO
Use 100 to 150 words? YES NO
Use at least two pronouns (you, me, mine)? YES NO
Consistently combine two to four words in short phrases (Daddy hat. Truck go down.)? YES NO
Enjoy being around other children? YES NO
Begin to offer toys to other children and imitate other children's actions and words? YES NO
Use words that are understood by others 50 to 60 per cent of the time? YES NO
Form words or sounds easily and without effort? YES NO
Hold books the right way up and turn the pages? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 30 months

Does the child?

Understand the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little/a lot, more)? YES NO
Use some adult grammar (two cookies, bird flying, I jumped)? YES NO
Use over 350 words? YES NO
Use action words such as run, spill, fall? YES NO
Participate in some turn-taking activities with peers, using both words and toys? YES NO
Demonstrate concern when another child is hurt or sad? YES NO
Combine several actions in play (puts blocks in the train and drives the train, drops the blocks off.)? YES NO
Put sounds at the beginning of most words? YES NO
Use words with two or more syllables or beats (ba-na-na, com-pu-ter, a-pple)? YES NO
Recognize familiar logos and signs involving print (Stop sign)? YES NO
Remember and understand familiar stories? YES NO

By 3 years

Does the child?

Understand who, what, where and why questions? YES NO
Create long sentences using five to eight words? YES NO
Talk about past events (trip to grandparents house, day at child care)? YES NO
Tell simple stories? YES NO
Show affection for favourite playmates? YES NO
Engage in multi-step pretend play (pretending to cook a meal, repair a car)? YES NO
Talk in a way that most people outside of the family understand what she/he is saying most of the time? YES NO
Have an understanding of the function of print (menus, lists, signs)? YES NO
Show interest in, and awareness of, rhyming words? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 4 years

Does the child?

Follow directions involving three or more steps (First get some paper, then draw a picture and give it to Mommy)? YES NO
Use adult type grammar? YES NO
Tell stories with a beginning, middle and end? YES NO
Talk to try and solve problems with adults and with other children? YES NO
Show increasingly complex imaginary play? YES NO
Talk in a way that is understood by strangers almost all the time? YES NO
Generate simple rhymes (cat-bat)? YES NO
Match some letters with their sounds (letter b says buh, letter t says tuh)? YES NO