How do I find a group home for my autistic adult child in Ontario?

Funded residential support in Ontario is accessed through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO). The process: (1) Confirm DSO eligibility (requires a DSM-5 ASD or intellectual disability diagnosis; register at age 16). (2) Complete the ADS (Assessment for Developmental Services), which includes a Residential Support Needs assessment. (3) DSO adds you to the residential-support queue. (4) When a placement becomes available, DSO offers it. Wait times for funded group-home placements are among the longest in the system — typically 5–15+ years in many regions, and sometimes longer. There is no shortcut. Families are strongly advised to register with DSO as early as possible and to explore all alternatives while waiting.

How long is the wait for a group home?

Wait times for funded residential support — particularly group homes with 24/7 staffing — are among the longest in Ontario's developmental services system. Depending on the region and the level of support needed, families report waits of 5–15 years or more. In Northern Ontario, waits can be even longer. These waits exist because the supply of funded residential spaces has not kept pace with the number of eligible adults. Starting the DSO process early (age 16) is essential; the wait clock begins only after DSO eligibility is confirmed, not at registration age.

What are the alternatives to group homes for autistic adults?

Group homes (congregate living) are one option, not the only option. Alternatives that many families access while waiting or instead of waiting: Supported Independent Living (SIL) — the person lives in their own apartment with a funded support worker providing scheduled visits. This model offers more independence and sometimes has a shorter queue than 24/7 group living. Host family arrangement — an autistic adult lives with a trained support family who receives a DSO-funded stipend. Provides a family environment with professional support. Family home — the majority of autistic adults in Ontario continue to live with parents or siblings. Families carry a significant and often invisible caregiving burden in the absence of funded alternatives. Supported living co-operatives — organized by some community agencies, where multiple adults share supports but maintain greater independence.

How is group home care funded in Ontario?

Group homes are funded through DSO's residential services budget, administered by community agencies that have Service Agreements with MCCSS (Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services). The agency employs 24/7 support staff, covers the building (through lease or ownership), and provides meals and daily support. Individual residents pay a portion of their ODSP income toward room and board; the balance is funded by the government through the agency. Residents have rights under the Residential Tenancies Act in addition to the Developmental Services Act — they cannot be evicted without cause, and they have the right to a written service agreement, privacy, and complaints processes.

What rights do group home residents have?

Residents of licensed group homes in Ontario have rights under the Developmental Services Act and, in most cases, the Residential Tenancies Act. Key rights: a written service agreement describing supports and conditions; privacy in their living space; freedom from abuse and neglect; the right to make complaints without fear of retaliation; the right to participate in decisions about their own care and support; and the right to have a substitute decision-maker (SDM) involved in decisions if they do not have legal capacity. Advocacy organizations including Community Living Ontario and ARCH Disability Law Centre can assist if rights are violated.

Budget 2026: $965M budgeted, 67,509 children still waiting. Read our analysis →

Direct answer

Group homes for autistic adults in Ontario

Funded residential support is accessed through DSO and can take 5–15+ years to receive. Knowing all the options — group homes, supported independent living, host families — and starting the process early makes a real difference.

Key facts

Access funded residential support through DSO — confirm eligibility, complete the ADS Residential Needs assessment, then wait.
Wait times for group homes: typically 5–15+ years depending on region and support needs.
Alternatives: Supported Independent Living (own apartment + support visits), host family, family home.
Funded through DSO/MCCSS via licensed community agencies. Residents contribute ODSP room-and-board; government covers the balance.
The housing crisis for autistic adults is partly driven by the OAP waitlist: 67,509 children without funded early therapy today will arrive at DSO with higher support needs.

Residential support options compared

Group home (congregate living)

Support level: 24/7 on-site support staff

Typical wait: 5–15+ years

Shared residence (typically 3–6 adults). Meals, daily living support, community integration, and 24/7 staffing. Operated by licensed community agencies. Funded through DSO/MCCSS.

Supported Independent Living (SIL)

Support level: Scheduled support visits

Typical wait: Typically shorter than group home

Own apartment or home; a funded support worker provides scheduled visits (hourly, daily, or as needed). More independence, more self-direction. Good fit for adults with lower 24/7 support needs.

Host family

Support level: Live-in family support

Typical wait: Varies

The autistic adult lives with a trained host family who receives a DSO-funded monthly stipend. Family environment with professional support. Not available everywhere — depends on regional host-family supply.

Family home

Support level: Family-provided (unpaid)

Typical wait: N/A (no queue)

The majority of autistic adults in Ontario live with family due to lack of funded alternatives. Passport funding and respite can support family caregivers, but the underlying caregiving burden falls on parents and siblings.

How to access residential support — step by step

All funded residential support in Ontario flows through DSO. There is no direct application to an individual group home or agency — DSO is the intake point.

Register with DSO at age 16 (do not wait until 18). The eligibility process takes 6–12 months. Starting at 16 means the residential wait clock can begin as close to the 18th birthday as possible.
Complete the ADS assessment, including the residential support needs component. Be thorough — the support-needs documentation informs your priority in the queue and the type of placement offered.
Request residential support placement once DSO eligibility is confirmed. This formally adds you to the residential waitlist. In some regions, you can also express interest in specific types of residential support (SIL vs. group home, or specific agencies/operators).
Explore alternatives while waiting. Supported Independent Living may have a shorter wait in your region. Passport funding can partially support a family-home arrangement with respite and support worker hours. Talk to your DSO case coordinator about what is available.
Maintain contact with your DSO coordinator. Circumstances change (support needs increase, a parent becomes unable to provide care). Communicate these changes to DSO — urgent need can affect placement priority.

Residential operators in Ontario

Group homes and supported-living programs are operated by licensed community agencies. You do not choose your provider in advance — DSO matches you to an available placement. However, knowing who operates in your region can help you understand what is available and inform questions you ask your DSO coordinator.

Kerry's Place Autism Services

Province-wide — one of Ontario's largest autism-specific providers. Group homes, SIL, and employment services.

Community Living Ontario

Provincial federation of local Community Living associations — present in virtually every region. Residential, employment, day programs.

Reena

GTA and York Region. Residential, day programs, employment, and cultural services for the Jewish developmental-disability community and others.

Participation House

Hamilton and surrounding region. Residential and community services for adults with complex support needs.

Bethesda

Niagara Region. Residential, employment, and community programs.

Azpire Community Services (formerly Geneva Centre)

GTA. Autism-specific services including transition support and residential planning.

The OAP waitlist and the housing crisis

The residential-support wait list and the OAP waitlist are connected. There are currently 67,509 children on the Ontario Autism Program waitlist without funded clinical therapy. The WHO and a body of peer-reviewed evidence establish that early intervention before age 6 produces the strongest developmental outcomes and reduces long-term support needs.

When children miss the early-intervention window — because the OAP waitlist is 5+ years and they age out before receiving funded therapy — many arrive at adulthood with higher support needs. Higher support needs mean greater demand for 24/7 residential placements, more intensive Passport funding, and more strain on a system that is already unable to keep pace with demand.

This connection is documented in advocacy submissions. Carroll v. Ontario (HRTO 2025-62264-I) is an active human rights proceeding referenced in this context. Addressing the OAP waitlist is not just a children’s issue — it is a housing-and-adult-services issue.

HRTO Case Disclaimer

The legal claims in Carroll v. Ontario (HRTO 2025-62264-I) involve specific individual circumstances and are distinct from the general advocacy positions expressed on this website. This case alleges that wait times during documented critical developmental windows may constitute discrimination under Ontario's Human Rights Code.

Next Steps

Register with DSO at 16, not 18.

The residential support wait clock starts from DSO eligibility confirmation. Every year of delay is a year added to an already lengthy wait. The process takes 6–12 months before eligibility is even confirmed.

DSO eligibility explained Passport funding guide

About This Article

Written by:Spencer Carroll - Founder & Autism AdvocateParent of autistic child navigating OAP system

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