Ontario autism program: urgent response services

Learn how to access support if your child or youth has an urgent need. Find out who is eligible, how to get services and contact your area’s lead organization.

Overview

Eligible children and youth who are experiencing a specific, urgent need can access supports to:

  • help stabilize the situation
  • prevent crisis
  • reduce the risk of the child or youth harming themselves, others and property

Children and youth can get up to 12 weeks of free supports.

Urgent response services do not provide funding to purchase supports. Children and youth registered in the OAP can access urgent response services while receiving other OAP services and supports.

Eligibility

To be eligible for OAP urgent response services, you/your child must be:

  • registered in the OAP
  • experiencing one or more key high-risk factors that:
    • have started or worsened in the last 14 days
    • can be supported by OAP urgent response services – you will find out through a standard intake process

High-risk factors include:

  • aggression
  • property destruction
  • violent thinking
  • fire setting
  • harm to animals
  • risk of exploitation
  • self-injurious behaviour
  • suicidal thoughts or behaviour
  • inappropriate sexual behaviour
  • flight risk

Steps to access services

Step 1: get referred or contact the lead organization

If you think you or your child may be eligible for OAP urgent response services, you can contact the lead organization for urgent response services in your area yourself to start the intake process and find out if you/your child is eligible.

You may also be referred to OAP urgent response services by:

  • an OAP care coordinator
  • a clinician delivering core clinical services
  • other relevant professionals supporting you or your child

Step 2: complete the intake process

The lead organization will reach out to you within 2 business days to discuss next steps.

You will need to answer some questions as part of the intake process.

By completing the intake process you will find out if OAP urgent response services are appropriate or if other services/supports could best meet your/your child’s needs.

Step 3: create an urgent response services plan

If you are eligible for OAP urgent response services, an urgent response services coordinator will work with you to create an urgent response services plan based on your/your child’s needs.

To develop the plan, your coordinator may suggest collaborating with:

  • your family and/or other people in your support system
  • relevant professionals who are supporting you or your child, such as an OAP care coordinator, educators and local service providers

Your plan could include the following services and supports for up to 12 weeks:

  • short-term consultation with an interdisciplinary team, which may include clinicians, family members and/or educators
  • time-limited respite support
  • service navigation to existing services within and outside of the OAP
  • direct support to the family and/or relevant professionals to implement behaviour intervention and therapy techniques

You will not receive funding through OAP urgent response services to purchase supports.

Step 4: implement your urgent response services plan

Your urgent response services coordinator will help you implement your/your child’s plan once it’s created. This will include helping you access the services and supports outlined in your/your child’s plan at no charge.

You can access urgent response services while receiving other OAP services and supports.