Barriers to Accessing the Ontario Autism Program

In 2018, the Ontario government announced changes to the service delivery and funding model for autism services. These changes aimed to eliminate the waitlist and provide caregivers with control over services for their children (up to age 18), diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). When this research started, over 50,000 children were waiting for needs-based funding. This study sought to identify any obstacles to services by asking caregivers to share what they experienced when accessing publicly funded services offered through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP). Access to early intervention services and timely access to support were significant barriers, with caregivers citing long wait times and insufficient support as the most frustrating obstacles. Keywords: Autism, caregivers, government programs, social services, barriers, Ontario, OAP