On June 10, 2026, MCFD emailed all families currently receiving Autism Funding (AFU) and the At Home Program (AHP), releasing the eligibility criteria for the new Children and Youth Disability Benefit (CYDB) and opening the portal for submitting your child's autism documentation. The criteria set out the domains a child is assessed against — including a "future living expectation" domain describing lifelong caregiving or supported living. Our full breakdown of what the criteria ask for, and the questions that remain, is on the linked page.

An open meeting for autism parents to discuss the announced changes, ask questions, and share concerns. The conversations and questions from this meeting led directly to the letter we wrote and published on May 15, 2026.

The Ministry updated its CYSN website with two new pieces of information: your child's final AFU funding period will be prorated to March 31, 2027, and in that period, families can use up to 50% of their funding for travel, training, and equipment — up from the previous 20% cap. The SAET program ends on March 31, 2027 and the Ministry will contact individual families with details. Our full breakdown of what this means for families is on the linked page.

The Ministry of Health, through Assistant Deputy Minister Ross Hayward, responded to the mental health and suicide prevention concerns raised in the Foreseeable Harm report. The response outlines existing programs — Foundry, Feelings First, Integrated Child and Youth teams, the Youth Concurrent Disorders Program — and notes a Youth Suicide Risk Reduction and Life Promotion Framework is in development. Our analysis surfaces what the response addresses, and what it does not.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development responded to our March 9 submission on the 2026 CYSN framework. The response addresses three issues we raised: alignment with the Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA), geographical barriers for rural and remote families, and the needs-based review pathway for the new Disability Benefit. Our slide-by-slide analysis of the response is on the linked page.