The Summit Centre for Preschool Children with Autism requires all families to pay a modest user fee for the Unity and STEPS programs. (Other services are currently free.) User fees are based on the family's income and ability to pay. These fees will be reviewed with you before your child enters the program. Current fees range from $20.00 to $700.00 per month.

Many enrolled children receive funding through the Ontario Autism Program, the Ontario government program.

The Ontario Autism Program (OAP)

Contact the OAP Central Intake and Registration team to register a child in the program or ask questions. https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-autism-program

• Interim one-time funding: new children with autism may be eligible for this. Deadlines have been extended by up to six months, if necessary. You now have up to 18 months to spend your interim one-time funding and submit your expense form.https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-autism-program-interim-one-time-funding

• Children with a childhood budget: The time to spend childhood budget funding and submit expense forms has been extended up to six months, if necessary. You now have up to 18 months to spend your childhood budget and submit your expense form. After spending the childhood budget, children may be eligible to receive interim one-time funding.

• Children and youth with existing behaviour plans will have their current plan extended up to its current level of intensity, where clinically appropriate, until they transition into core services in the new needs-based program.

Toll free number: 1-888-444-4530
Email: oap@ontario.ca

Autism Ontario Windsor Essex ? assists parents of children with ASD to find services to purchase with their new OAP Childhood Budget, to provide information in their communities and to find qualified service providers and to share resources.
For more information, please contact OAP Service Navigation Autism Ontario at 1-800-472-7789, or visit their website.

Ministry of Children and Youth Services and Ministry of Community and Social Services

Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD): Provides financial support for low- to moderate-income families to cover some of the extra costs of caring for a child who has a severe disability.
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/specialneeds/disabilities.aspx

Special Needs: general links for families with children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/specialneeds/index.aspx

Special Services at Home (SSAH): The program helps families a child with a developmental and/or physical disability to pay for special services in or outside the family home as long as the child is not receiving support from a residential program.
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/specialneeds/specialservices.aspx

Incontinence Supplies Program ? Easter Seals Ontario administers the Incontinence Supplies Grant Program for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The program is for children and youth between the ages of 3 to 18 years with chronic disabilities (physical or developmental) requiring the use of incontinence supplies.

Website: https://services.easterseals.org/incontinence-supplies-grant/ Online Application.
For urgent inquiries Email: igprogramcoordinator@easterseals.org
Phone: 416-510-5074

Disability Tax Credit
The disability tax credit (DTC) is a non-refundable tax credit that helps persons with disabilities or their supporting persons reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. An individual may claim the disability amount once they are eligible for the DTC. This amount includes a supplement for persons under 18 years of age at the end of the year.
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit.html

Form T2201: Disability Tax Credit Certificate Form
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t2201.html

Child Disability Benefit (CDB)
The Child Disability Benefit is a non-taxable supplement to the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) and Children's Special Allowances (CSA). The CDB will provide up to $133.33 per month ($1,600 per year) to low and modest income families to help them with the costs of raising children under 18 who have a severe and prolonged mental or physical impairment.
If you are already getting the Canada child benefit for your child who is eligible for the disability tax credit, you do not need to apply for the child disability benefit. You will get it automatically. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/child-disability-benefit.html
(1.117.1 ? Individualized Therapy Plan)

Canada Child benefit
The Canada child benefit (CCB) is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). It is a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age. The CCB may include the child disability benefit and any related provincial and territorial programs. (You may have applied for this when your child was born, or you can apply online.)

Medical Expense Tax Credit
Some parents have deducted their Summit Centre User Fees under the Medical Expense Tax Credit. .
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/tchncl/ncmtx/fls/s1/f1/s1-f1-c1-eng.html

Care in an Institution & Care and Training in a School outlines that
The costs paid for the care, or the care and training of a patient at a school, an institution or another place will be an eligible medical expense under paragraph 118.2(2)?, provided that:

• the patient for whom the care or care and training is provided, suffers from a physical or mental handicap;

• the patient requires the equipment, facilities or personnel specially provided by that school, institution or other place for the care or the care and training of persons suffering from the handicap suffered by the patient; and

• an appropriately qualified person has certified in writing that the physical or mental handicap is the reason that the patient requires the equipment, facilities, or personnel specially provided by that school, institution or other place, for the care or care and training of persons suffering from the same handicap, as the patient.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/tchncl/ncmtx/fls/s1/f1/s1-f1-c1-eng.html#N1051A