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)
Education Series
SBRS: Free Therapy in Your Child's School
The evidence for intervention
School-based rehab services are funded separately from OHIP, most families don't know what they can request.
Registered
89,799Children registered
Total in the Ontario Autism Program queue
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Funded
20,633Have active funding
Only 23% of registered children
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Waiting
69,166Still waiting
Registered. Diagnosed. Un-funded.
MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
Verified , MCCSS FOI · Mar 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 89,799 |
| Have active funding | 20,633 |
| Still waiting | 69,166 |
SBRS at a Glance
- SBRS = School-Based Rehabilitation Services (OT, speech, physiotherapy)
- Funded by MCCSS through children's treatment centres, NOT the school board
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- 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: 2026-06-13
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
Verified References & Sources
Updated:Government Reports & Data
- [2023]Exclusion of Students With Disabilities — 2023 SurveyVerified FAO DataCommunity Living Ontario • Report • 2023-10-01
- [2024]Inclusion Without Proper Support Is AbandonmentVerified FAO DataElementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario • Report • 2024-06-01
- [2020]Autism ServicesVerified FAO DataFinancial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) • Report • 2020-07-21
- [2024]Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services: Spending Plan ReviewVerified FAO DataFinancial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) • Report • 2024-06-05
- [2026]MCCSS bi-weekly OAP Core Clinical Services progress reports (FOI release CSS2026-0749)Verified FAO DataMinistry of Children, Community and Social Services (Ontario) • Report • 2026-03-04
About This Article
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
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.
Facts5
Sources5
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
Last system verification: 2026-06-13. Next scheduled update: 2026-09-10.