What We Do:
In March 2021, children and youth who are registered in the Ontario Autism Program started to receive invitations from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to participate in the launch of core clinical services. Based on your child’s individual needs, these services can include applied behaviour analysis, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy and mental health supports. After you accept your invitation, a care coordinator from the Independent Intake Organization of the Ontario Autism Program will guide you through a determination of needs process that includes:
- meeting with your family to identify your child’s goals, strengths and support needs
- allocating funding to purchase core clinical services
- supporting your family with next steps to access the core clinical services of your choice
A care coordinator will ask you questions, using a standardized tool, to understand your child’s goals, strengths and support needs across nine domains, including:
- Communication – how individuals communicate and understand others to successfully participate in activities of daily life
- Social interaction – how individuals participate in social situations, shared activities and interactions with others (groups, peers, new settings)
- Play and leisure – how individuals engage in play independently and with others
- Activities of daily living – how individuals complete daily tasks, such as getting dressed and eating
- Motor skills – how individuals participate in activities that involve using fine motor skills and gross motor skills, such as writing and walking respectively
- Cognitive skills – how individuals follow instructions, concentrate and solve problems
- Sensory system – how individuals manage reactions to stimuli
- Interfering behaviours – how individuals manage interfering behaviours that may impact their ability to participate safely in activities of daily life
- Mental health – how individuals manage needs that impact their resilience, daily functioning and capacity to access or engage in services
In addition to the nine domains, care coordinators consider other factors, such as developmental stages, life stages, and co-existing health and environmental factors.
A care coordinator will complete the determination of needs process with your family at least once each year. This will help ensure the funding you receive reflects your child’s changing support needs. Based on the results of the determination of needs process, care coordinators will identify if your child’s intensity of support needs are:
- limited
- moderate
- extensive
The amount of funding that your family can use to purchase OAP core clinical services each year depends on:
- the intensity of your child’s needs
- your child’s age
After you receive your funding allocation for OAP core clinical services, you can work directly with a clinician of your choice to develop treatment options and plan for your child. Pathways is happy to be an option for use of core clinical services funding for speech-language pathology and occupational therapy services.
