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Windsor-Essex assessment guide
Ask about current referral access through John McGivney Children’s Centre or Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. Before paying privately, or relying on a U.S. report, confirm Ontario registration and report requirements in writing.
Referral rules, fees, and availability can change. Confirm current intake directly with the named service or assessor.
In brief
Local access directory
Official intake guidance and local directory leads are kept separate here. Confirm referral rules, service area, fees, and current intake directly with the named source.
Browse the Ontario service directoryAccess and service availability vary by region; confirm current details directly.
Registered
91,97491,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
Funded
20,71120,711Have active funding
Only 22.5% of registered children
Without active agreement
71,26371,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
Verified , MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
Ask your primary-care provider about referral eligibility, service area, and current intake with the named local hub.
Confirm assessor registration, total fee, report contents, OAP requirements, language or accessibility needs, and current availability before booking.
Local chapter offering parent support groups and webinars.
The main hub for developmental services in Windsor-Essex.
Assessment providers and access rules vary by region. Explore other city guides.
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Connect with autism service providers and support networks near you.
Who can diagnose autism in Ontario?
VerifiedIn Ontario, autism can be diagnosed by: registered psychologists, psychological associates, developmental pediatricians, pediatricians with autism training, psychiatrists, and neurologists. Assessments must follow DSM-5 criteria. OAP accepts diagnoses from any qualified professional meeting ministry criteria.
Source: College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario · Open source record
What type of diagnosis does OAP accept?
VerifiedOAP accepts diagnoses from psychologists, psychological associates, pediatricians, family physicians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and developmental pediatricians. The diagnosis must follow DSM-5 or ICD-10 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Private diagnoses are fully accepted by the program.
Source: Ontario Government OAP Guidelines
Sources on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
Evidence supports autism screening and intervention commencing in the first 2 years of life — earlier identification directly enables earlier intervention during the highest neural plasticity window
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about 1 in 50 children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism. Timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
22.5%
Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), less than one in four
$965M
Ontario allocated $965M to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
See authorship, freshness, trust signals, and ways to stay current.
Founder & Autism Advocate