Last updated: April 2026 | We update this page as new information from MCFD becomes available.

BC Autism & Disability Funding: Frequently Asked Questions (2026)

We hear you. We see you. Navigating this process while caring for your child is a lot, and you deserve clear, honest information. As parent advocates, we're asking the same questions you are, and we won't stop until we have answers. This page reflects what we do know, updated regularly as more becomes available. Don't see your question? Check what we've already submitted to the Ministry, or add yours here.

Questions We Have Answers To.

We know how hard it is to search for answers when you're already exhausted. Everything below has been carefully sourced so you can trust what you're reading. Where information comes directly from the MCFD or the Ministry, we've noted it, because you deserve to know where your answers are coming from.

  • The province is restructuring how services are delivered to children and youth with support needs, including children with autism. The Ministry describes the changes as intended to make services fairer, easier to access, and better coordinated.

    What the new model is built around: The MCFD has outlined three pillars for the new system: new direct funding programs, expanded community-based services, and improved coordination across government. In broad terms, this means moving away from diagnosis-specific funding streams toward a needs-based model that is intended to serve a wider group of children.

    What is concretely changing: Two existing programs are being replaced. The Autism Funding Program and the School-Aged Extended Therapies (SAET) program will be discontinued and replaced by two new direct funding programs: the BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit and the BC Children and Youth Disability Supplement.

    What is genuinely uncertain: The Ministry's framing of these changes as fairer and better coordinated is a stated intention, not a demonstrated outcome. What families actually receive under the new programs, in dollars, services, and continuity, is still not fully confirmed. Being told the system is improving is not the same as knowing what your child will receive. The sections below break down what is known, what is unknown, and what you can do now, depending on your family's situation.

    Source: Children & Youth with Support Needs: Guide for Current Services Recipients, accessed April 5, 2026.

  • The BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit is a new direct funding program for children and youth ages 0 to 19 who have a lifelong disability resulting in significant and/or complex support needs. It replaces existing diagnosis-based funding programs, including Autism Funding, with a needs-based model.

    What the Ministry says it will offer: The Ministry describes the Benefit as providing funding tailored to each child's functional needs, with increased support for children with the highest needs, more flexibility in how funding is used, and less administrative burden for families. It is also intended to open access for families who have never previously qualified for support, alongside expanded community services that all families can access without a diagnosis.

    What is genuinely uncertain: These are the Ministry's stated goals, not yet demonstrated outcomes. The shift from a diagnosis-based system to a needs-based one is a meaningful structural change, and for some families, particularly those who were previously excluded, it represents a real opportunity. However, what an individual child will actually receive under the Benefit has not been publicly confirmed at a specific dollar amount. The Ministry's Supplement calculator embedded on this page can help you estimate that portion of your funding, but Benefit amounts for individual children have not yet been confirmed separately.

    Families may also qualify for the BC Children and Youth Disability Supplement and other financial supports, depending on income and eligibility.

    Source: Ministry of Children & Family Development website, accessed April 5, 2026

  • The BC Children and Youth Disability Supplement is a monthly payment intended to help low- and middle-income families with the costs of raising a child with support needs. It is income-tested, meaning the amount a family receives will depend on their adjusted family net income.

    What the Ministry says it will offer: The Supplement is part of the broader shift to a needs-based model, which the Ministry states will allow more families to qualify for financial support than under the current diagnosis-based system. Alongside the Supplement, the Ministry indicates all families will have increased access to free community-based services regardless of diagnosis.

    What is genuinely uncertain: The Supplement is the one piece of this new model where families can get a concrete estimate right now. Use the Ministry's Supplement calculator embedded on this page to estimate your monthly and annual amount based on your 2026 adjusted family net income and number of eligible children.

    However, the Supplement is separate from the Benefit, and Benefit amounts for individual children have not yet been confirmed. Knowing what your Supplement may look like is useful, but it is only part of the picture. Families should ask Ministry staff directly what their child's total funding will be before their transition is finalized.

    One important date to keep in mind: the Supplement ends at age 18, while the Benefit and community-based programming run to age 19.

  • Yes. New families can still apply for BC Autism Funding up to March 1, 2027. Existing Autism Funding continues until March 31, 2027. You can continue using your funding with private providers you currently work with, and no new medical assessment is required if you already have documentation in place.

  • We know this is one of the most pressing questions families have right now, and we want to be honest with you: there is no simple universal answer yet, because eligibility will be assessed individually based on your child's functional needs.

    What we know: Eligibility under the new model is based on a child's support needs rather than their diagnosis alone. This is a genuine structural change. It means some families who were previously excluded, because their child didn't have a qualifying diagnosis may now qualify for support. It also means that current funding levels are not automatically carried forward, and what a family receives under the new model may look different from what they receive today.

    What is genuinely uncertain: The Ministry has not yet published specific eligibility criteria or confirmed individual funding amounts. Being needs-based in principle is not the same as having a transparent, publicly available assessment framework. We have submitted detailed questions to the Ministry about how needs will be assessed and how decisions will be made, you can follow that on our Q&A page.

    What you can do now: Contact your local MCFD service office to ask directly about your child's eligibility and what the assessment process will look like for your family. Visit the MCFD website for local office contact information. When you do connect with Ministry staff, ask specifically what your child's funded amount will be, not just whether they are likely to qualify.

    You are not navigating this alone. We are pushing for the answers families need, and we are not letting it go.

    Source: Children & Youth with Support Needs: Guide for Current Services Recipients, accessed April 5, 2026.

  • Community-based services are delivered through agencies made up of multidisciplinary teams, pediatric therapists, child development specialists, and support navigators, who work alongside families, schools, health authorities, and other community organizations to coordinate care for children with support needs.

    What the Ministry says they will offer: The intention is that families will have a coordinated point of support rather than having to navigate multiple systems on their own. Most services are described as free or covered under the new support programs for eligible families. Community-based services are also meant to be accessible to all families, regardless of diagnosis, which is a meaningful shift from the current model.

    What is genuinely uncertain: Community-based programming specifically designed for school-aged children and teens is not fully in place yet. The Ministry has committed to a phased rollout, with programming for children and youth ages 6 to 18 not expected until Spring 2028. Early intervention therapies are already expanding as of Spring 2026, but families of older children should be aware that the broader community-based system they are being pointed toward is still being built — see the full timeline on our page.

    The description of services as "free or covered" also warrants a closer look. What is covered, for whom, and at what level of need has not been fully detailed publicly. If community-based services are expected to form a significant part of your child's support plan, it is worth asking Ministry staff specifically what will be available to your child and when.

    Source: Ministry of Children & Family Development website, accessed April 5, 2026.

  • The MCFD maintains an online map of community-based service providers across BC, updated as new providers and services are added. Visit the MCFD website to find what is available near you.

    Worth knowing before you go: The map reflects what is currently available, and as noted in the section above, community-based services are being expanded gradually over three years, not all at once. What you find listed today may not yet include the full range of services the Ministry has committed to expanding. If a service you need isn't showing up in your area, that may simply reflect where the expansion currently stands.

    If you connect with a provider and find the services don't match what you were expecting or were told to expect, document that. It matters, both for your family's planning and for the accountability work we are doing on behalf of families across BC.

    Source: Ministry of Children & Family Development website, accessed April 5, 2026.

  • The Canada Disability Tax Credit is a federal, non-refundable tax credit that helps reduce the amount of income tax families pay when raising a child with a severe or prolonged impairment.

    • Families can apply at any time of year through Canada Revenue Agency. Processing typically takes 10 to 15 weeks.

    • Once approved, the credit is claimed at tax time.

    The DTC is also used to determine eligibility for several other important support programs, which is why applying matters even if you don't think you'll benefit from the tax credit itself:

    Source: Ministry of Children & Youth Development website (links above in orange), accessed April 5, 2026.

  • This process can feel overwhelming — you don't have to figure it out alone. Here are some resources that may help.

    Covering the Certification Fee

    • BC Autism Funding (Ages 0–18): If your family is currently in the program, you may be able to use up to $300 of annual funding to cover your doctor's fee for the DTC. Submit an official clinic receipt through the My Family Services Portal or via the paper Reimbursement of Autism Expenses Form (CF0926).

    • DABC Medical Fees Fund:
      Low-income families can apply for a grant to cover the medical practitioner's fee through Disability Alliance BC. Email dtc@dabc.ca to confirm whether the current funding window is open.

    Tips for your CRA application

    • Use the CRA digital application: The online process is significantly faster for both you and your doctor. Visit the CRA “How to Apply” page to walk through Part A.

    • Bring a Functional Impact Summary: To reduce the time your doctor spends drafting, you can bring a pre-prepared summary of your child's daily challenges to the appointment. The Access DTC Tool can help you generate this PDF — it's designed specifically to give your doctor what they need.

    Free advocacy and one-on-one support

    • Disability Alliance BC (DABC): If complex forms feel like too much right now, DABC provides one-on-one advocates who can help guide you through the process.

    • Family Support Institute (FSI): The FSI can connect you with a peer mentor — a parent who has already been through the DTC process and can walk alongside you.

Questions We're Still Pushing For

These questions represent real families, real children, and real fear about what comes next. We have submitted every one of them to the Ministry and we will not stop advocating until they are answered. You deserve to know.

  • For many children, their provider isn't just a service, they're a trusted person in a world that can feel unpredictable and overwhelming. Disrupting those relationships has real consequences, and families need to know those consequences have been considered.

    • How will the new funding model ensure that children who are currently working with trusted providers can maintain those relationships, rather than experiencing disruptions in care? Particularly regarding those who will not receive the Benefit or Supplement, or receive a minimal amount not sufficient to pay a provider.

    • If an individual or family is receiving individualized therapy services under the current Autism Funding model, how will the Minister ensure the continuity of those individualized services under a reduced funding or community-based model?

    • If a family is receiving individualized therapy services under the current Autism Funding model, such as parent coaching or family support services, how will the Minister ensure the continuity of those services under a reduced funding or community-based model?

  • Families need more than a promise that services will be neuro-affirming and evidence-based. They need to know what that actually looks like, and whether it will truly meet the needs of their child and their family.

    • What are the specific evidence-based curriculums and service models being provided in the community programming? What steps will be taken to ensure individualized services and support to clients and families?

    • The Minister has stated that community-based services will be neuroaffirming. What steps are being taken to ensure this? What research has been reviewed and what professionals have been consulted in preparing for neuroaffirming support?

    • How will community-based programming provide hours and access to families that cannot attend Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and require full service care on early mornings, evenings, weekends, and statutory holidays?

    • How will community-based programming provide flexibility in service location to meet the needs of families?

  • The timeline as it stands leaves families in an impossible position. These questions are about the gap between when support ends and when new support begins, and who is responsible for what happens in between.

    • Why was it decided to end the Autism Funding Unit on March 31, 2027, but not provide families with their Supplement until July 2027? How are families supposed to continue therapies without funds? How are service providers supposed to work without payment guarantee for three months?

    • Will there be grants or similar funding options available to private service providers and therapy agencies to allow them to continue working with their Level 1 and 2 client base in collaboration with community-based programming?

    • With respect to an estimated 10 to 15 percent of children and youth with Autism and existing services set to lose all funds, what is the Ministry's statement of ownership for going back on their word to these families?

    • Why is it not an option to have some form of individualized funding like the AFU for all children and youth with Autism? Why is it acceptable for up to 15 percent to lose all funding, and an even larger percentage to not receive enough to support a beneficial therapy team?

  • Behind every provider is a person who chose this work because they care. Behind every small business is a team that has shown up for your child. These questions are about what happens to your support system if that network collapses.

    • 85 percent of the service providers surveyed, currently 308 have completed a service provider impact survey, showed that they were not confident they would be open past March 31, 2027, who will be supporting children should parents wish to use their Supplements for continued therapy?

    • What ownership and responsibility does the BC Government take over the potential reality of an estimated 85 percent of independent providers and small businesses shutting down as a result of this model being introduced?

  • Youth are not a future priority, they are a current reality. Families raising teenagers and young adults with Autism are being asked to wait years for support that should exist now.

    • It has been projected that services for youth will not be established for up to two more years. How does the government plan to provide for youth and their families during this time if they do not qualify for individualized funding or do not receive sufficient funds to continue with providers?

    • With the two-year delay in youth services, how will young people be supported into their adult transition, including job skills training and other preparation for independence?

  • These decisions were made about our children. Families have a right to know what evidence was used, what was ignored, and whose voices were in the room.

    • What research was consulted regarding the following, please state the specific research reviewed:

      • Level 1 and 2 Autism and suicide, suicidal ideation, and self-harm

      • Level 1 and 2 Autism and mental health co-morbidities such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and burnout

      • Level 1 and 2 Autism and risk for abuse, including sexual, physical, emotional, and substance abuse

      • Level 1 and 2 Autism and the need for gender-affirming care

      • Parent experience, including burnout, trauma, and risk factors

    • What research was reviewed with respect to therapeutic horseback riding that determined it did not have therapeutic value? Please provide the specific research.

    • What duration of time was data collected on the efficacy or inefficacy of the current AFU model, as well as the goodness of fit of a community-based model such as the piloted hubs? Specific dates are requested. What data sources were reviewed to come to these conclusions? Specific sources are requested.

    • Why were professional groups and frontline workers not consulted in this development? Who were the professionals and groups consulted in the development of this model? Names and roles are requested.

  • For many children and families, losing access to trusted care is not an inconvenience, it is a crisis trigger. These questions are about whether the Ministry has truly reckoned with that reality, and what safety nets exist for the families who will be most impacted.

    As the reduction or removal of access to trusted, continued care from existing providers poses a serious risk of crisis for individuals with autism and their families, what has been prepared in anticipation of mental health and behavioural crisis? Specifically:

    • Access to a 24/7 crisis help-line to reach qualified professionals who can assist with de-escalation and crisis management

    • Access to mental health services such as Child Youth Mental Health without extensive waitlists

    • Accessibility to be re-assessed for need under the Benefit in order to gain funding and access more private support

    • A guarantee of qualified professionals to support individuals and families through crisis — not students, brand new professionals, or assistants

    • Increased resources for schools and hospitals to buffer the increased demand on their systems in response to urgent crises

  • Every family is different. These questions are for the families whose situations the Ministry appears not to have considered when designing this model.

    • If a child's Supplement is divided between two parents when a child is in shared custody, how does the government expect parents to make decisions in the child's best interest regarding how to use the Supplement?

    • Will parent mediation services be included in navigation?

    • If one parent was the signatory for the AFU, why is that parent not receiving the Supplement in order to continue making informed medical decisions with the funds?