Urgent Response Services

The Urgent Response Service provides time-limited (up to 12 weeks) services and supports intended to respond rapidly to a specific need for children and youth up to 18 years of age and registered in the OAP to prevent further escalation of risk of harm to self, others and/or property. 

This service is delivered in partnership with Dufferin Child and Family Services (Dufferin and Wellington region), Reach Out Centre for Kids (Halton region) and Sunbeam Community & Developmental Services (Waterloo region). 

Eligibility

To be eligible for OAP urgent response services, you/your child must be:

• registered in the OAP
• experiencing one or more key high-risk factors that:

1. have started or worsened in the last 14 days
2. can be supported by OAP urgent response services – you will find out through a standard intake process

High-risk factors include:

• aggression
• property destruction
• violent thinking
• fire setting
• harm to animals
• risk of exploitation
• self-injurious behaviour
• suicidal thoughts or behaviour
• inappropriate sexual behaviour
• flight risk

Step 1

Contact ErinoakKids Intake Services at 905-855-2690 extension 6 or use our new online referral portal. 

• Intake Service hours of operation Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. This is not a 24-7 or crisis service line.

Step 2

Once a referral is made, an assessment is required to determine service eligibility

Step 3

ErinoakKids (or our partner agency in your region) will create an urgent response services plan based on your and/or your child’s needs. Families accepted into the service will be assigned to a clinician who will assess the severity of the risk and work internally and with partner agencies to ensure child’s specific needs are addressed

Urgent response services do not provide funding to purchase supports. Children and youth registered in the OAP can access urgent response services while receiving other OAP services and supports.

For more details and information on eligibility, visit the Ontario Autism Program website:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-autism-program-urgent-response-services