Accessing OAP Funding: Psychotherapy & Counseling for Children with Autism in Oakville & Vaughan

Psychotherapy & Counseling for Children with Autism-Navigating the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) can feel overwhelming for parents new to the system. The OAP provides government funding to help families of children with autism access services, but many parents wonder how to access OAP funding and which therapies are covered. At the Autism Center for Kids (Oakville and Vaughan locations, led by Amir Haimove), we focus on child autism therapy through psychotherapy and counseling approaches – not ABA therapy. In fact, Ontario’s OAP guidelines explicitly include “counselling and/or psychotherapy” as core funded services. This means families can use their OAP allocation for therapies like play therapy, art therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and specialized programs like the Miller Method at our clinics. Our goal is to help parents understand the OAP and how to use their funding for the most appropriate therapies to meet their child’s needs.

Psychotherapy & Counseling for Children with Autism Understanding the Ontario Autism Program (OAP)

The Ontario Autism Program provides financial support to families of children and youth (under age 18) on the autism spectrum. To be eligible for OAP, a child must be under 18, live in Ontario, and have a formal autism diagnosis from a qualified professional. Once registered, families can receive direct funding based on their child’s needs. For example, current OAP funding levels are needs-based and typically range from about $6,600 up to $65,000 per year, depending on the child’s age and level of need.

• Eligibility Criteria: Your child must be under 18, reside in Ontario, and have a written autism diagnosis. The diagnosis should include your child’s name, birthdate, assessment date, and the professional’s credentials.
• How to Register: Families register through AccessOAP (the official OAP portal). You can apply online, or download and mail the application form. You may also call the OAP helpline to apply by phone.
• Care Coordinators: After registering, OAP assigns a care coordinator to your family. These coordinators guide you through the intake process, help you understand your child’s assessed needs, and assist in planning appropriate services and funding use.
• Funding Allocation: Once approved, your child’s family receives a needs-based funding amount. This is determined by factors such as the child’s age and developmental needs (younger children with more intensive needs often receive higher funding). Families must use this funding on eligible core clinical services and supports through the OAP.

By following these steps, families can access OAP funding and put it toward meaningful therapy services for their child.

What OAP Funding Covers

Once you have OAP funding, you can apply it toward a wide array of autism-related services. Official OAP guidelines list the Core Clinical Services that are funded. These include Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and critically mental health services (counselling and psychotherapy). In practice, this means your funding can cover interventions such as:

• Counseling/Psychotherapy: OAP explicitly funds counselling and/or psychotherapy. In our clinic, this includes individual therapy sessions like play therapy, art therapy, and cognitive-behavioral sessions.
• Play Therapy: A child-directed approach using play activities to help children process emotions and learn social skills.
• Art Therapy: Creative arts (painting, drawing, music, drama) to help children express feelings non-verbally and improve fine-motor and communication skills.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Structured therapy that helps children identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): A skills-based therapy that teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness.
• The Miller Method®: A specialized developmental program designed for children with autism that focuses on improving body organization, communication, and social interaction.

In short, OAP core funding is quite flexible. Families can choose any combination of approved therapies and supports that best fit their child’s needs. Therapists must be on the OAP Provider List (or your agency must be registered with OAP). Autism Center for Kids is an approved provider, so your funding can directly cover our services. We also help families with the paperwork and reporting required by OAP after services are delivered.

Child Autism Therapies We Offer

At the Autism Center for Kids, we specialize in psychotherapy and counseling-based approaches for children with autism. Below are some of the key therapies and programs we provide, all of which are covered under OAP as “mental health services”:

• Play Therapy: Children play with toys, games, or creative activities under a therapist’s guidance. This lets them explore emotions and social scenarios in a fun, natural way.
• Art Therapy: Children use drawing, painting, or other art media to communicate. Art therapy can be especially effective for non-verbal or shy children.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): We use CBT techniques to help kids identify negative thoughts or anxiety triggers and replace them with positive coping strategies.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT teaches mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Miller Method®: This program focuses on four areas: body organization, social interaction, communication, and representational thinking.
• Other Programs: We also offer social-skills groups, school-readiness programs, seasonal camps, and parent workshops.

In all of these therapies, the emphasis is on building the child’s confidence, creativity, and self-awareness, rather than simply shaping behavior.

ABA Therapy for Kids vs. Psychotherapy/Counseling

Many parents are aware of ABA therapy for kids, since it has long been a common intervention for autism. ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) uses structured techniques to teach specific skills and reduce harmful behaviors. It is supported by research and is covered by OAP.

However, ABA also has critics and limitations, which is why our center emphasizes alternative approaches. Critics argue ABA focuses on eliminating unwanted behaviors rather than building a child’s strengths. Some advocates feel ABA pressures children to act neurotypical, instead of honoring their unique autistic traits.

In contrast, psychotherapy and counseling place the child’s feelings and perspective at the center. These approaches teach self-awareness, emotional coping, and adaptive thinking. These methods aim to empower the child from the inside out, focusing on confidence and self-regulation.

To summarize the difference:

• ABA Therapy: Structured behavior training (often 20+ hours/week), with clear objectives and external reinforcement.
• Psychotherapy/Counseling: Child-led or dialogue-based therapy (usually 1 hour/week sessions). Focuses on thoughts, feelings, and social understanding.

Because of this philosophy, Autism Center for Kids does not offer ABA therapy. Instead, we provide child autism therapy through play-based and cognitive-behavioral counseling. If you are looking for an alternative to ABA that still uses evidence-based methods, our center is designed for you.

Psychotherapy & Counseling for Children with Autism-Our Oakville & Vaughan Clinics: Local Services and Contact

Autism Center for Kids operates two hubs in the Greater Toronto Area: one in Oakville and one in Vaughan. Both centers serve local families and are easily accessible. Each location offers high-quality therapy programs, staffed by our certified therapists under Amir Haimove’s direction.

In Vaughan, we provide evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DIR/Floortime, the Miller Method, and play therapy. In Oakville, our focus is on individualized counseling (using CBT, play therapy, the Miller Method, etc.) as well as adaptive classes and school-transition programs. Both clinics run social-skills groups, seasonal camps, and parent workshops. We even offer parent counseling and training.

Psychotherapy & Counseling for Children with Autism-We understand families have busy schedules, so our Oakville and Vaughan centers offer flexible hours. Therapy sessions are available on weekdays and weekends. You can choose in-person appointments or virtual sessions.

If you live in Oakville, Vaughan, or nearby communities, our centers are ready to welcome you. With OAP funding in hand, your child can see our therapists on a schedule that suits your needs. Our staff can walk you through the OAP reimbursement process after each session.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The Ontario Autism Program funding can be a valuable resource for your family — especially when you know how to access OAP and use it for the right therapies. Unlike clinics that focus on ABA, Autism Center for Kids specializes in psychotherapy and counseling methods that help children with autism grow emotionally and socially.

We encourage you to use your OAP funding to explore play therapy, art therapy, CBT, DBT, or the Miller Method at our center, where all of these services are fully covered as core clinical interventions.

If you have more questions about applying for OAP or about therapy for your child, we’re here to help. Contact the Autism Center for Kids (Oakville/Vaughan) to schedule a consultation. Let’s work together to give your child the best possible start with autism therapy in Oakville and Vaughan.