Ontario fails to meet goal of funding 8,000 kids for autism therapy

The Ontario government has failed to meet its goal of providing funding for 8,000 kids to receive core autism therapies by the end of the fall.

While a spokesperson for the minister of children, community and social services says the province’s goal has been met, it’s not what the government has been publicly working towards.

Patrick Bissett, a spokesperson for minister Merrilee Fullerton wrote in a statement that they met their target of “registering” 8,000 children and youth in core clinical services.

However, registration is a different target than providing funding for services.

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Once families are signed up, their child is scheduled for a needs determination interview. During the interview, the funding is calculated based on various factors.

Families are then supposed to receive the funding not long after the meeting.

But members in the autism community say those interviews are being scheduled many months away.

They also believe that there is a big gap between the number of registered children for core therapies and those who have received funding.

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Over 60,000 children are now registered in the Ontario Autism Program.

Members within the program received some one-time payments, and thousands have accessed other parts of the program including foundational family services, early years services, and an entry-to-school program.

On the other hand, the vast majority have not received funding for core services.