Therapy Decision Guide
RDI is not typically covered under OAP core clinical services because RDI consultants are not regulated health professionals or BACB-certified practitioners in Ontario. However, if an OAP-eligible professional (e.g., psychologist, OT) incorporates RDI principles into their regulated practice, those sessions may be OAP-eligible.
Ask any prospective provider which of these credentials they hold, and confirm the credential with the relevant regulatory college before starting.
RDI is fundamentally a parent-mediated intervention. Rather than therapists working directly with the child for scheduled hours, an RDI consultant works with parents to develop their ability to create daily learning opportunities that build dynamic intelligence. Parents learn to slow down interactions, set up guided participation experiences, and gradually increase cognitive and social complexity as the child progresses.
The RDI program is organized around a systematic set of objectives targeting six areas: emotional referencing (reading facial expressions and gestures), social coordination (adjusting behavior in response to others), declarative communication (sharing experiences rather than just requesting), flexible thinking (adapting to change and seeing alternatives), relational information processing (integrating multiple sources of information), and foresight and hindsight (learning from the past and planning for the future).
In Ontario, RDI-certified consultants are relatively rare. Most families access RDI through virtual consultation with certified consultants, supplemented by video review of parent-child interactions. This remote delivery model can actually be an advantage for families in Northern Ontario or areas with limited in-person therapy options.
The evidence base for RDI is classified as emerging. The primary published study is Gutstein, Burgess, and Montfort (2007), which reported improvements in Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores, flexibility, and educational placement in a non-randomized sample of 16 children after 30 months of RDI. While these results are promising, the lack of a control group and small sample size limit the strength of conclusions.
Additional case studies and clinical reports suggest benefits in parent-child interaction quality, flexible thinking, and family functioning. However, independent randomized controlled trials have not yet been published. Families considering RDI should weigh its theoretical appeal and clinical reports against the current evidence limitations, and may choose to combine RDI with other approaches that have stronger empirical support.
Gutstein, Burgess & Montfort (2007)
Evaluation of the Relationship Development Intervention program. Autism, 11(5), 397-411.
Connections Center (2023)
RDI Program Overview and Objectives Framework. RDIconnect.com — official program documentation by developer Dr. Steven Gutstein.
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.
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) delivered to children aged 18–30 months produced significant gains in IQ, adaptive behaviour, and autism severity — some children no longer met diagnostic criteria at follow-up
Cochrane systematic review finds evidence that early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) may produce positive effects on adaptive behaviour and communication for young children with ASD (low certainty of evidence)
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four