• The Autism Intervention Program uses an Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) approach to improve key learning skills in the key areas of cognitive, language and social development for children with moderate to severe Autism. IBI is based on the scientific principals of Applied Behavior Analysis.
• The program individualizes a comprehensive range of clinically appropriate goals targeting a broad range of developmental areas. Intervention is ordinarily provided intensely and requires between 20 and 40 hours of therapy per week. Children who experience significant benefit will show increased readiness for participation in the educational and other community programs.
• The program will support children in their integration and generalization of gains from IBI into the school setting. Up to one year of transition support is available to assist this process.  

• Through parent coaching, Behaviour Communication Therapy Services teaches a child with ASD positive behaviours and appropriate skills.
• Through consultations with parents, Hands facilitators provide direct therapy through in-home coaching, develop behavioural protocols with parents and/or community team including a functional behaviour assessment.
• A Hands facilitator who specializes in ASD coordinates programming between home, school and community, provides skills training sessions to small groups of children, and provides education and prevention in-service on topics related to ASD behaviour

• The School Support Program provides consultations with school board staff to develop effective behavioural teaching methods to supports children with ASD in school.
• Training through conferences, workshops, and other resource materials are provided to school board staff to enhance knowledge of ASD and evidence-based practices.
• The School Support program works collaboratively with school staff to ensure the most effective interventions and supports are implemented for children with ASD in the classroom and larger school setting.

Planning sessions are then facilitated with the school to develop a strategy to implement the newly learned effective behavioural teaching methods.

Autism Enhanced Respite Service Funds (FOR THE APPLICATIONS, CLICK ON "Forms" AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE)

Two separate Enhanced Respite funds are available to families with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are under the age of 18 years old and who live in the Parry Sound, Muskoka or Nipissing regions to address needs for respite assistance.   These funds include a Special Activities fund and a Crisis fund.  Applications are reviewed using specific criteria to determine eligibility.

Enhanced Respite - The enhanced respite special activities fund is designed to enhance the capacity of community agencies/services to accommodate children with ASD.  There are 2 ways to apply for special activities funds:

1) Group activities: community agencies or multiple families may apply for this fund to help accommodate a group of children with ASD.

2) Individual requests: since group funding is not always appropriate, a second process has been developed to include requests from individuals. The funds in special activities are strictly to be used to pay for one to one support (a worker/facilitator) so a child may fully participate in an activity outside the home. The maximum funding available per request is $500.00. Individual applicants may make 2 separate requests per fiscal year and approval of a second application is based on budget availability.

Crisis funding –The Crisis fund is designed to support families who have had an unexpected crisis occur.  Families complete the application and submit it to the respite program.  The application must meet criteria in order for it to be approved.  The crisis must be short-term (2-4 weeks in length), unable to be planned for, child needs constant supervision, child lives at home and crisis poses risk to child.  A maximum of $1,000.00 is allocated for each application per child.