Are OAP free programs adequate while waiting for Core Clinical Services?
Direct answer
**No.** OAP offers free programs (FFS, CMEY, ETS, URS) that families may be able to use while they wait for Core Clinical Services, but they are workshops, coaching and short-term programs, not the **20-40 hours weekly**, for multiple years, at which early intensive behavioural intervention is delivered. [Cochrane review, 2018] They do NOT replace Core Clinical Services.
What this means for your family
Use every free program you qualify for, since workshops, coaching and short-term programs still help even though they fall short of the multiple years of weekly intensive intervention that studies describe. Check which programs fit your child's age, since early years coaching is for children 12 to 48 months old and runs up to six months. Keep a simple log of the hours you actually receive each month, since that record shows the real gap between what is offered and what your child needs, and you can bring it to your care coordinator. Do not blame yourself or your child's provider if progress feels slow during this stretch, since these programs are separate streams and do not replace Core Clinical Services. Ask each program what else it offers, since you may be able to use more than one. If you plan to advocate publicly, cite the hours you actually received rather than the program names alone, since specific figures carry more weight.
The numbers behind this answer
Every answer on this site sits on the same verified counts. These are the current figures.
Ontario's figures, as of May 2026 (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026).
Registered
91,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,711Have active funding
22.5% of registered children
Without active agreement
71,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
Show as table
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
About This Article
Published:
Last updated:
Context & Explanation
- The free OAP programs are: Foundational Family Services (workshops/coaching), Caregiver Mediated Early Years (parent coaching for ages 12 to 48 months, up to six months per child), Entry to School (transition support), and Urgent Response Services (up to 12 weeks of help for an urgent need). CRITICAL ADVOCACY POINT: Presenting these as adequate alternatives to intensive therapy is misleading. CMEY lasts up to six months per child, while early intensive behavioural intervention is delivered at 20-40 hours a week for multiple years. The gap is large.
Illustrative example
- This is a composite example, not a real family.
- The Williams family was offered FFS and CMEY after registering their 2-year-old for OAP. They attended a workshop and a short run of parent coaching. Meanwhile, early intensive behavioural intervention is delivered at 20-40 hours weekly, that is about 320-640 hours in 4 months. Their son waited 4 years for Core Clinical Services; at 20-40 hours a week, the same 4 years would have meant roughly 4,000-8,000 hours. The free programs helped, but calling them a "viable option" understates the gap.
Frequently asked questions
**No.** OAP offers free programs (FFS, CMEY, ETS, URS) that families may be able to use while they wait for Core Clinical Services, but they are workshops, coaching and short-term programs, not the **20-40 hours weekly**, for multiple years, at which early intensive behavioural intervention is delivered. [Cochrane review, 2018] They do NOT replace Core Clinical Services.
Sources
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (ontario.ca)
Verified Source (2026)
Cochrane review: Reichow et al., 2018
Verified Source (2026)
Next steps
Keep going with related guidance, tools, and evidence.
Related questions
What autism funding is available in Ontario?
The OAP has FIVE programs: (1) Core Clinical Services (direct funding, what families wait years for), (2) Foundational Family Services, (3) Caregiver Mediate...
What federal funding supports exist for autism in Canada?
The DTC recognizes the additional costs of disability and reduces federal and provincial taxes. DTC eligibility also opens RDSP access, where the government ...
What is the difference between Core Clinical Services and Interim One-Time Funding?
Interim One-Time Funding is still paid to families who registered before April 1, 2021, but it is closed to anyone who registered after that date. New regist...
About this page
Check the author’s context, review method, and how to report an error.