Education Series

SBRS: Free Therapy in Your Child's School

Occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physiotherapy, delivered inside Ontario schools, funded by MCCSS, not by the school board. Most parents have never heard of it.

The evidence for intervention

School-based rehab services are funded separately from OHIP, most families don't know what they can request.

Registered

91,974

Children registered

Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program

MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information

Funded

20,711

Have active funding

Only 22.5% of registered children

MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information

Without active agreement

71,263

Without an active funding agreement

An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.

MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information

Verified , MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026

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Ontario Autism Program key statistics (MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026, verified 2026-08-10)
MetricValue
Children registered91,974
Have active funding20,711
Without an active funding agreement71,263

SBRS at a Glance

  • SBRS = School-Based Rehabilitation Services (OT, speech, physiotherapy)
  • Funded by MCCSS through children's treatment centres, NOT the school board
Show all 6 facts
  • No IPRC identification required, a referral from school, parent, or doctor is enough
  • Delivered inside the school during the school day at no cost to families
  • Supplements but does not replace private therapy or OAP services
  • Contact your local children's treatment centre or ask the school's SERT
Verified: 2026-08-10
Scope: Ontario, Canada

What SBRS Provides

Occupational Therapy

  • Fine motor skills (writing, cutting, buttons)
  • Sensory processing support
  • Self-care skills (toileting, dressing)
  • Classroom environment adaptations
  • Sensory diet programming

Speech-Language Pathology

  • Expressive and receptive language
  • Social communication skills
  • AAC (augmentative and alternative communication)
  • Articulation and fluency
  • Pragmatic language support

Physiotherapy

  • Gross motor skills (running, climbing, balance)
  • Mobility and positioning
  • Equipment assessment
  • Playground and gym participation
  • Physical activity adaptations

Why This Matters: The Funding Distinction

MCCSS Funds It, Not the School Board

This is the most important fact about SBRS that parents need to understand. When a school tells you "we don't provide therapy" or "we don't have OT/SLP," they may be technically correct about their own staff, but SBRS therapists come from children's treatment centres funded by the Ministry, not the school board.

The school doesn't need to "have the budget" for therapy. They just need to facilitate the referral. If they won't, you can contact the treatment centre directly.

SBRS vs. School Health Support Services

Do not confuse SBRS with School Health Support Services (SHSS), which is administered by Ontario Health atHome and covers medical procedures (tube feeding, suctioning, catheterization). SBRS covers rehabilitation therapy. Both are available in schools, both are free, and both are funded outside the school board.

How to Access SBRS

1

Ask at School

Talk to your child's teacher, SERT (Special Education Resource Teacher), or principal about SBRS. Ask specifically: "Does this school receive SBRS services from a children's treatment centre?"

2

Contact the Treatment Centre Directly

If the school is unresponsive, contact your local children's treatment centre: ErinoakKids (Peel/Halton), KidsAbility (Waterloo), CHEO (Ottawa), GrandviewKids (Durham), Holland Bloorview (Toronto), etc.

3

Assessment and Service Planning

The treatment centre will assess your child and determine eligibility. Services are based on functional needs, not diagnosis labels. No IPRC identification is required.

4

Connect to the IEP

Once SBRS services begin, ensure the therapy goals are reflected in the IEP. The SBRS therapist should collaborate with the school team to align school-based and therapy goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take Action

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Verified References & Sources

Updated:

Official Government Sources

  • [1996]
    Adler v. Ontario, [1996] 3 S.C.R. 609Government Record
    Supreme Court of Canada • Government • 1996-11-21
    View
  • [2019]
    Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019 (Bill 124)Government Record
    Legislative Assembly of Ontario • Government • 2019-11-07
    View
  • [2021]
    Bradford Bypass: Environmental Assessment Exemption Regulation (O. Reg. 220/21)Government Record
    Government of Ontario • Government • 2021-04-09
    View
  • [2025]
    Canada Disability Benefit - How much you could receiveGovernment Record
    Government of Canada • Government • 2025-06-20
    View
  • [2025]
    Canada Disability BenefitGovernment Record
    Government of Canada • Government • 2025-06-20
    View

Related Resources

Citable source facts(1)Question-and-answer pairs with their source and verification link.

What are School-Based Rehabilitation Services (SBRS)?

Verified

SBRS provides OT, speech therapy, and physiotherapy directly inside Ontario schools - but is funded by MCCSS through children's treatment centres, not by the school board. [MCCSS] Most parents do not know SBRS exists or that it is separate from the school. Access does not require an IPRC identification - a referral from the school or parent is sufficient.

Source: Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services [MCCSS] · Open source record

Evidence on this page

The source chain stays visible.

Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.

Facts4
Sources3

Under the Ontario Education Act, every student with special needs is entitled to an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and access to an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)

Government / peer-reviewedGovernment of Ontario (2024)Verified 2024-01-01

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

Government / peer-reviewedPublic Health Agency of Canada (2024)Verified 2024-03-26

22.5%

Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), less than one in four

Government / peer-reviewedMCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026Verified 2026-08-10
Last system verification: 2026-08-10. Next scheduled update: 2026-11-05.
View methodologyBrowse every source

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Founder & Autism Advocate

Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system