How To
OAP eligibility ends at 18. Planning years in advance is essential — adult services have their own long waitlists.
Ontario law requires schools to include transition planning in IEPs starting at age 14. Request that the IEP explicitly addresses post-secondary goals, employment, and daily living skills.
The Ontario Disability Support Program provides income support and health benefits to adults with disabilities. Apply no earlier than 18 months before your child's 18th birthday to align the timeline.
Contact Community Living Ontario, your local Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) office, and independent agencies about residential, employment, and community support services.
Adult developmental services have their own waitlists — often 5 to 10 years long. Apply to your regional DSO as early as age 16. Do not wait until OAP ends.
ODSP includes the Assistive Devices Program, prescription drug coverage, and dental coverage. Confirm your child's benefits transition to ODSP coverage before OAP ends.
Related Resources
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
US$2.4M
Lifetime support costs for autism with co-occurring intellectual disability can reach US$2.4 million per person (Buescher et al.)
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