What Can You Spend the OAP Childhood Budget On?
Direct answer
OAP core clinical funding covers applied behaviour analysis, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy and mental health services, delivered or supervised by regulated professionals in good standing with their college. Respite care, tutoring, and nutritional supplements are not eligible expenses. Only services bought within your funding period are eligible. Ask your AccessOAP care coordinator what happens to any unspent balance.
Key facts
- Yearly Funding Range
- $6,600–$65,000/year
- MCCSS guidelines (Sept 2026)
- Age Ranges
- Up to 3, 4-9, 10-14, 15-17
- MCCSS guidelines (Sept 2026)
- Provider Requirement
- Qualified regulated professional
- MCCSS
- Unspent Balance
- Ask your care coordinator
- MCCSS
What this means for your family
Check that a provider meets the OAP qualification rules before you book anything. The OAP Provider List is a voluntary directory that can help, but a qualified provider does not have to be on it. Do not plan to use this funding for respite, because respite is listed as an ineligible expense for OAP core clinical funding. Map out your spending across the full funding period, since only services bought within that period are eligible, and ask your AccessOAP care coordinator what happens to any unspent balance. If a provider tells you their waitlist means part of your allocation will go unused, ask about a different provider or service mix right away rather than waiting until the year is nearly over. Keep your child's service plan updated so new needs can be added without delay.
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What the Budget Actually Covers
Childhood budgets were an older OAP funding model for families who registered before April 2021. This page covers the current core clinical funding, which pays for clinical services delivered or supervised by regulated professionals who meet the OAP qualification rules. The OAP Provider List (oapproviderlist.ca) is a voluntary directory of some of them. This includes ABA therapy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, mental health services, and other supports in your child's treatment plan.
The key rule is that services must come from qualified, regulated professionals. You can hire a private therapist who is not on the OAP Provider List, as long as they meet the OAP qualification rules. Your care coordinator can share information on how to choose a provider, and you work directly with your chosen clinician on a treatment plan for your child's assessed needs.
What the Budget Does NOT Cover
Core clinical funding cannot be used for tutoring, private school tuition, day care fees, or vitamins and supplements, and recreational programs and camps are not on its list of eligible expenses. These are real needs that families face every day, but they fall outside the OAP clinical funding model. Respite is also not eligible under core clinical funding.
Only services bought within your funding period are eligible. If your child's provider cannot use the full allocation because of scheduling, waitlists, or staffing shortages, ask your AccessOAP care coordinator what happens to any unspent balance.
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
Only services bought within your funding period are eligible. Ask your AccessOAP care coordinator what happens to any unspent balance if your provider cannot deliver the full allocation because of scheduling or capacity issues.
Yes, as long as they meet the OAP qualification rules. The OAP Provider List (oapproviderlist.ca) is a voluntary directory, and you can also work with qualified professionals who are not on it. Check the list and ask your care coordinator for help selecting a provider.
No. Respite is not an eligible expense under core clinical funding. It was eligible under the older childhood budgets and interim one-time funding, which served families who registered before April 2021. Respite care may be covered through other programs like Special Services at Home (SSAH) or the Passport Program for adults. For a child, contact your nearest ministry regional office about respite options. Developmental Services Ontario handles services for adults 18 and older.
Sources
MCCSS
Ontario Autism Program: guidelines for core clinical services and supports (updated September 10, 2026)
Ontario Autism Program: Information for practitioners (ontario.ca, updated March 10, 2026)
Next steps
Keep going with related guidance, tools, and evidence.
Related questions
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.
Does the Ontario Autism Program Cover ABA Therapy?
Yes. OAP core clinical services include ABA therapy. AccessOAP sets each child's allocation by age and support needs, from $6,600–$65,000/year.
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