OAP Care Coordinator Call: What to Expect
Direct answer
The OAP care coordinator call is a needs assessment conversation called the determination of needs interview. The coordinator asks about your child's strengths, support needs and goals in 10 areas, which sets your funding. Bring your child's diagnosis report, existing therapy records, your goals, and your questions. Afterward, you sign a funding agreement, then choose a provider.
Key facts
- Purpose
- Needs assessment
- MCCSS
- Bring
- Diagnosis + goals
- MCCSS
- Next Step
- Funding agreement
- AccessOAP
What this means for your family
Bring your child's diagnosis report and any past therapy records to the call already organized, since the coordinator will reference them throughout and shuffling through papers eats into your time. Treat the conversation as a meeting about your child, not a test of you, but describe your child's needs fully and honestly, because what you share informs the funding amount. Write down your top priorities before you dial in: what your child needs most right now, and what worries you most about the year ahead, since a clear list helps the coordinator understand your child's priority goals. Prepare specific questions too, such as whether you can split services across more than one provider, what happens if you want to switch later, and what foundational services you can use while you wait for therapy to start. Do not end the call until you know your next concrete step, including roughly when you should expect to hear more.
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Why Parents Are Anxious About This Call
Many parents worry about saying the wrong thing on the care coordinator call. AccessOAP holds a welcome call with a care coordinator first, and the determination of needs interview comes after it. The interview is a conversation to understand your child's strengths, support needs and goals, so describe them fully and honestly.
The coordinator will review your child's diagnosis, ask about current therapies and challenges, explain the funding options available to your family, and share information on how to choose a qualified provider. Think of it as a needs interview, not a test of you. The coordinator uses what you share to set your child's support level and funding.
How to Prepare for the Call
Have your child's diagnosis report handy - the coordinator will reference it. If your child has received any previous therapy (private ABA, speech, OT), bring those records too. Write down your top therapy priorities: What does your child need most? What are your biggest concerns? Having clear goals helps the coordinator understand your child's priority goals.
Prepare a list of questions. Good ones to ask: What is our annual budget amount? Can we split services between multiple providers? What happens if we want to change providers? How do we access foundational services in the meantime? What is the timeline for starting therapy after this call? Do not leave the call without understanding your next concrete steps.
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 |
Frequently asked questions
The interview is the needs assessment: your child's funding is based on their age range and the support needs identified in it. Be honest about your child's challenges and your family's priorities.
After the interview, you get a funding notice and sign a funding agreement. You then choose a qualified provider (the OAP Provider List at oapproviderlist.ca is a voluntary directory), who works with you on a treatment plan before core clinical services begin. Ask your care coordinator how long each step is likely to take.
Ask AccessOAP first. The main account holder can let other caregivers, such as family members, communicate with the care coordinator, and you can bring input from family, caregivers and therapists to the interview.
Sources
AccessOAP
AccessOAP - For Families Already Registered with the OAP (welcome call, determination of needs interview, funding agreement)
Next steps
Keep going with related guidance, tools, and evidence.
Related questions
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The OAP is not a lottery. Core clinical invitations go out in the order children registered. Learn how the process actually works.
How to Maximize Your OAP Childhood Budget
Practical strategies to get the most from your OAP core clinical childhood budget. Provider selection, therapy planning, and expense optimization tips.
OAP Core Clinical vs Foundational Family Services
Core clinical budgets run $6,600–$65,000/year. Foundational Family Services can include caregiver workshops, coaching and brief consultations.
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