Ontario Autism Program

About the Ontario Autism Program

The Ontario Autism Program (OAP) offers support to families of children and youth on the autism spectrum.

Children and youth who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by a qualified professional are eligible for the program. Children receive services and supports until the age of 18.

AccessOAP

AccessOAP is the Ontario Autism Program’s Independent Intake Organization that supports everyone registered in the Ontario Autism Program.

AccessOAP care coordinators are available to:

• answer your questions
• help you understand your service options
• help you access needs-based services and supports in your community

Creating an AccessOAP account

If you are new to the OAP, please create an AccessOAP account to register for the program and get support.

Everyone who registered for the OAP through the ministry has been sent an email or letter about creating an AccessOAP account. For more details, please watch our video.

If you can’t find your email or letter, please email or call the ministry’s Central Resource Team:

• oap@ontario.ca
• Toll-free: 1-888-444-4530

Eligibility

To register for the Ontario Autism Program, your child must:

• be under age 18
• currently live in Ontario
• have a written diagnosis of autism from a qualified professional

Your child’s written diagnosis must include:

• your child’s full name and date of birth
• the date of your child’s assessment
• a statement indicating that the child meets the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder
• the qualified professional’s name and credentials

Resources about diagnosis

• Early childhood indicators of autism
• Getting a diagnosis
• Get an autism assessment

Register your child

Register for the Ontario Autism Program through AccessOAP and provide all supporting documentation that they ask for.

Register online

You do not need to register again if you:

• have previously registered your child for the Ontario Autism Program
• already submitted a registration form and supporting documents to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

If you have questions about registering your child, you can email or call AccessOAP:

• info@AccessOAP.ca
• Toll-free: 1-833-425-2445

Your child with autism may also be eligible for other government programs for children with special needs.

Types of services and supports

If you registered for the program before April 2021

Other government services and supports

Your child or youth with autism may be eligible for other government programs for children with special needs, such as:

• Healthy child development programs, including:
  • Healthy babies healthy children program
  • Infant and child development program
  • Preschool speech and language program
• Rehabilitation services delivered by children’s treatment centres
• Special needs resource teachers in child care settings
• Special Services at Home program
• Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities program

Supports in schools

Your child may be eligible for school-based supports for students with autism.

Learn about supports for students who are entering or attending a school in the publicly funded system.

Information for practitioners

• Read the capacity action plan.
• Apply for a workforce capacity fund grant
• Learn about the special needs workforce survey and read the results.
• Learn about previous selection processes for Ontario Autism Program service providers

Contact information

Direct your questions and find more information about the Ontario Autism Program. There are different teams to contact depending on the topic you’d like to discuss.

Related

• AccessOAP
• Developing and implementing a needs-based autism program
• Personal information management