Music therapy for autism — is it covered by OAP?

Music therapy is a regulated health profession in Ontario. The credential is MTA (Music Therapist Accredited), issued by CAMT (Canadian Association for Music Therapy). It requires a university degree in music therapy, supervised clinical internship, and board certification.

For autistic children, a music therapist uses structured musical activities — instrument play, call-and-response singing, improvisation, movement to music — to target clinical goals: turn-taking, eye contact, emotional expression, initiation of communication, sensory regulation.

Music therapy is not the same as music lessons, music enrichment programs, or listening to music at home. It involves ongoing clinical assessment, goal-setting, and systematic measurement of therapeutic outcomes.

Music therapy has more research support than equine therapy, but less than ABA or ESDM. Cochrane review (Geretsegger et al., updated 2022): Moderate evidence for improvements in social interaction, verbal communication, non-verbal communication, and social-emotional reciprocity compared to no therapy or standard care.

Joint attention gains: Several studies show music therapy improves joint attention — a core social-communication skill — in autistic children. Limitations: Studies vary in quality; most have small samples. Long-term outcomes are less studied.

Music therapy is generally used alongside, not instead of, primary interventions like ABA or SLP services. It may be particularly valuable for children who are highly motivated by music or who struggle to engage in traditional clinical settings.

<a href="/oap-funding-guide" class="text-blue-600 hover:underline font-medium">OAP funding</a>: Music therapy is not currently listed as an eligible OAP Core Clinical Services category. It is not ABA, SLP, or OT. Confirm with your AccessOAP coordinator whether any music-based component can be incorporated into a funded program in your region.

School board access: Some Ontario school boards employ music therapists within special education teams. Ask your child’s IEP team whether music therapy is available in the board and can be written into the IEP. This is free for students where available.

Extended health benefits: Some group health plans cover music therapy under "other registered health professionals." Check your plan documents and confirm the provider has MTA designation. Out-of-pocket costs: $80–$150/hour individual, $30–$60/person group.