Updated June 2026
This page complements our Funding Changes guide. That page helps you find your family's situation; this one shows you what's happening to every family at once. Use the tabs to navigate.
The reform, in plain language.
What the BC Government announced in February 2026....
$475M restructure. Autism Funding (AFU) ends March 2027. Replaced by a new Benefit ($6,500 base or $17,000 higher tier) + Supplement ($0–$6,000, DTC-required, income-tested). Whether your family gains or loses depends on diagnosis, needs assessment, age, income, and DTC status.
BC is replacing the Children & Youth with Support Needs (CYSN) Autism Funding stream with a two-part structure: a needs-assessed Disability Benefit ($6,500 or $17,000/year) plus an income-tested Supplement (up to $6,000/year).
The At Home Medical Benefit remains. Autism and SAET funding do not.
A known 3-month gap
Autism Funding ends March 31, 2027. Disability Supplement payments don't begin until July 2027. That's three months with no direct funding — for many families, three months of therapy costs, provider relationships, and continuity of care.
The Autism funding cliff.
Five families CYSN's official examples don't fully show.
Five families. Five losses CYSN's official examples don't fully show. Most losses concentrate in the under-6 cohort and children with Level 1 or 2 Autism without intellectual disability. Annual losses range from −$200 to −$22,000.
Recently diagnosed Autistic at age 2 (Level 1). Too young for a formal intellectual disability assessment. Struggles with emotional regulation, transitions between activities, and sensory overload. Adjusted family net income $150,000. Family does not have an approved Disability Tax Credit (DTC) for Ava.
Ava doesn't qualify for the new Benefit — Autism Level 1 without intellectual disability falls below the needs threshold and isn't on the direct-admit list. The Supplement requires an approved DTC, which Ava's family does not have, so Ava receives $0. At age 2, Ava is also too young for any formal intellectual-disability assessment, so even if support needs grow significantly, there is no direct-admit pathway until an intellectual disability has been diagnosed. CYSN's official personas don't include this case.
Sam has autism (Level 2) with intellectual disability, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Sam struggles with social interactions and day to day self care – including reliable toileting. Adjusted family net income $50,000. Family already has approved DTC for Sam.
Sam is direct-admit (Autism + ID) but starts at base tier. At age 4, the family loses $9,500/year in the under-6 transition. CYSN's Persona #2 reports a $50,000 lifetime "gain" ($144,000 current → $194,000 new) — the under-6 cliff disappears in lifetime totals. Real families experience the cliff annually, in the year the reform takes effect.
Ollie has autism. They are highly verbal and do not have an intellectual disability. They struggle significantly in social interactions and require intensive social skill development. They also have ADHD and require modifications at home, school, and in all environments to ensure they remain self-regulated. Diagnosed at age 6 (late identification is common for Level 1 Autistic children). Adjusted family net income $120,000. Family already has approved DTC for Ollie.
Ollie doesn't qualify for the new Benefit — Autism Level 1 without intellectual disability falls below the needs threshold and isn't on the direct-admit list. CYSN's Persona #4 frames Ollie as "$42,000 lifetime" of support, counting only from age 6 (their diagnosis age in CYSN's example). The under-6 window — where Ollie would have received AFU $22,000/year if diagnosed earlier — disappears entirely from CYSN's framing. Current AFU at $6,000/year over the same 13-year school-age window = $78,000. That's $36,000 more than the new system delivers.
Elliot is a 5-year-old child with autism and a significant intellectual disability. They are non-verbal and require intensive, ongoing support across all areas of daily living, learning, and communication. Age 5 — both AFU and SAET apply during this transition year. Adjusted family net income $90,000. Family already has approved DTC for Elliot.
Elliot is direct admit (Autism + intellectual disability). The CYSN guide assigns them to the higher tier ($17,000 Benefit). CYSN's Persona #5 frames Elliot's lifetime total as a gain. At age 5, AFU and SAET are stacked and the family loses $10,800/year in the year the reform takes effect. The new system caps total funding at $19,200–$23,000 regardless of how many concurrent supports a child needs. Stacking — which let high-needs families access multiple streams at once — is removed.
If Ollie were diagnosed earlier
Same Ollie, hypothetical age-4 diagnosis: current AFU $22,000/year → new system $0 Benefit + $3,200 Supplement = −$18,800/year. CYSN starts their timeline at age 6 — past the under-6 cliff entirely.
Autism Funding (AFU) was an Autism-specific top-up — a separate stream of individualized funding for Autistic children. The new Benefit doesn't preserve it. For Autistic kids with complex medical needs, that means losing the AFU portion entirely.
The reform delivers the same total to every family at the same tier — but families who currently access multiple support streams (AFU + SAET + AHP) start with more than the new system replaces. The system appears fair on paper while removing what about one-third of AHP-eligible families currently rely on.
Same reform. Same higher Benefit tier. Same family income. Opposite outcomes.
Hailey, age 12
Not AutisticRare genetic condition + intellectual disability. Medical complexity (AHP). Family income $150,000.
Theo, age 8
AutisticProfound Autism + severe intellectual disability. Medical complexity (AHP). Family income $150,000.
Genuine gains, honestly framed.
School-age children with high needs. New direct-admit categories. The AHP/SAET case where most of the support stays in place.
Three families CYSN frames as gains. CYSN's medically fragile case (Huxley) appears as a gain only when their understated SAET baseline is used — at the actual max SAET, the gain disappears.
Same Sam, now school-age. Sam has autism (Level 2) with intellectual disability, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Sam struggles with social interactions and day to day self care – including reliable toileting. Adjusted family net income $50,000. Family already has approved DTC for Sam.
Sam's frozen $6,000 school-age AFU is replaced by Benefit ($6,500) + max Supplement ($6,000) = $12,500. An honest school-age gain. CYSN's Persona #2 highlights this gain; what they don't flag is that the same family lost $9,500/year in Sam's under-6 years.
One catch CYSN glosses over: the $6,000 Supplement requires approved federal DTC. CYSN's Persona #2 assumes Sam's family already has an approved DTC for Sam. Many families with eligible Autistic children don't have DTC because the application process is opaque and requires medical professional support. Without DTC, Sam's family receives only $6,500 — not $12,500.
Chloe has Down syndrome. They have an intellectual disability and various physical challenges associated with their genetic condition including spinal deformity which requires bracing, physical therapy, and extensive adaptations. Adjusted family net income $110,000. Family already has approved DTC for Chloe.
Chloe gets direct funding for the first time ever. Down syndrome is a direct-admit category, so the Benefit is automatic. CYSN's Persona #1 reports $0 current → ~$190,000 over childhood — genuine new support for direct-admit families who had nothing before. This is the new Benefit's main equity step.
One catch CYSN glosses over: the $3,600 Supplement requires approved federal DTC. CYSN's Persona #1 walks through Chloe's nurse practitioner completing the DTC application. Many rural and Indigenous families don't have a primary care provider willing or able to complete it. Without DTC, Chloe's family receives only $6,500 — not $10,100.
Huxley was born medically fragile – dependent on support to perform all aspects of daily living. As part of their rare genetic condition, they also experience significant intellectual disability. Eligible for At Home Program (AHP) medical supplies. Adjusted family net income $150,000. Family already has approved DTC for Huxley.
This is CYSN's Persona #3 verbatim: $16,800 current SAET → $19,000 new funding = $2,200/year gain, $360,000 lifetime. AHP medical supplies continue. On its face, a clean gain story.
One catch CYSN's number hides: the actual max SAET is $19,200 ($5,760 each for OT/PT/SLP + $1,920 chiro or RMT) — not $16,800. CYSN's persona uses the lower figure, omitting chiro/RMT. At true max SAET, Huxley's family is essentially flat: $19,200 → $19,000 = −$200/year. The "gain" narrative depends on which SAET number you start from.
Direct-admit categories include:
Down syndrome · Angelman · Rett · Fragile X · Prader-Willi · CP GMFCS 3–5 · Duchenne muscular dystrophy · SMA Type 1 or 2 · Moderate/severe ID · Autism + ID (any level) · DSM-5 Level 3 / Profound Autism · FASD + ID · Palliative conditions · Severe self-injurious behaviour · Children currently in AHP.
Same child. Different family income.
The Supplement is income-tested. Two families with the same disabled child receive different total support based on what the caregivers earn.
Same child. Different family income. The Supplement creates a $5,200/year gap between low and high incomes at every tier. Chloe (base tier) and Huxley (higher tier) below show the same gap.
The new system creates two kinds of variation in what a family receives — and both apply regardless of diagnosis. The tier assessment decides whether a child receives the $6,500 base Benefit or the $17,000 higher Benefit. The criteria for that decision have not yet been published. The Supplement ($0–$6,000) is income-tested, tapering as family income rises.
All disabled children face the same tier uncertainty, with some losing direct funding if the undisclosed assessment places them at base tier. Chloe, below, shows the same gap at base tier.
Chloe, age 10 — CYSN Persona 1
Chloe has Down syndrome. They have an intellectual disability and various physical challenges associated with their genetic condition including spinal deformity which requires bracing, physical therapy, and extensive adaptations. Direct admit via Down syndrome, base Benefit tier. Compared here at hypothetical lower and higher family incomes.
Same Chloe, same Benefit tier, same diagnosis. The only difference: family income. The income test on the Supplement creates a $5,200/year gap that hits hardest at base tier — a 42% reduction in total funding from low to high income. At base tier, the gap is proportionally more devastating than at higher tier.
Huxley, age 8 — CYSN Persona #3
Born medically fragile — dependent on support for all aspects of daily living. Rare genetic condition with significant intellectual disability. Eligible for At Home Program (AHP) medical supplies. Family has approved federal Disability Tax Credit (DTC). Direct admit, higher tier Benefit per CYSN's own persona allocation. Current SAET utilization $19,200 (max with chiro/RMT).
CYSN's official Persona #3 places Huxley's family at $150,000 income — between the two columns above. Three points the comparison reveals:
- At CYSN's framing (with their understated SAET baseline of $16,800), Huxley's family appears to gain $2,200/year. Compared to the actual max SAET of $19,200 (with chiro/RMT), Huxley is essentially flat — gaining $200 at $150K, losing $1,400 at $180K, gaining $3,800 at $50K.
- The $5,200 income-based gap persists across every tier and every diagnosis.
- Huxley is not Autistic. Income variation hits non-Autistic kids too.
Two filters stack
To receive the full $6,000 Supplement, a family must (a) hold the federal Disability Tax Credit for their child, AND (b) earn under roughly $50,000 net income. Either filter alone reduces the Supplement. Together they can zero it out — leaving families with the Benefit alone, or, if the child doesn't qualify for the Benefit either, $0 in direct funding.
Three (of many) unanswered questions.
Critical information still missing as the reform rolls out. The Province has not yet published the criteria families need to plan around.
Three open questions families need answered before April 2027. Tier-assessment criteria haven't been published. AHP children's tier placement is unclear. Community service capacity is unknown.
1. What separates a $6,500 child from a $17,000 child?
CYSN has confirmed all eligible families "begin at the base benefit level." Higher tier requires a support-planning process — but the criteria, weights, and thresholds have not been published. Families can't plan around a process they can't see.
2. Why are caregivers being asked to upload supplemental assessments and reports to a government portal before the assessment criteria have been released?
CYSN's Current Service Recipients Guide states the Benefit determination will use criteria "shared transparently with families and service providers" — but those criteria are not yet published, while families are already being asked to submit documentation against them.
From CYSN's Current Service Recipients Guide: "Benefit level determinations will be made using consistent, province-wide criteria, developed in partnership with child development professionals and shared transparently with families and service providers."
3. Will community-based services actually be ready when families lose direct funding — and what about families in rural areas?
$80M of the $475M is earmarked for expanded community services — behavioural, mental health, navigation, pediatric therapies. Rollout is phased through Spring 2028. AFU ends March 2027. There is a one-year gap. For families in rural and remote BC, these community services may not exist locally even after rollout — direct funding was the only way to access therapies in many communities.
March 31, 2027 → July 2027
Autism Funding ends March 31, 2027. Disability Supplement payments don't begin until July 2027. For three months, families have no direct funding — even though some have been planning therapy contracts, provider relationships, and care continuity around AFU for years.
This is not a small administrative gap. For many families, three months means losing a therapist's slot, breaking a behavioural plan that took months to establish, or pulling a child out of a developmental window that doesn't pause for funding transitions. The Ministry has not announced bridge funding or transition support for this gap.
"Up to $6,000 in Supplement" sounds generous. The real number depends on two conditions:
DTC required
The Supplement is only available to families whose child holds the federal Disability Tax Credit. DTC is awarded on functional impairment, not diagnosis — some children with Autism without intellectual disability qualify, but many do not. Without DTC, the Supplement is $0.
Income-tested
The full $6,000 goes to families with net income up to roughly $50,000. The amount tapers as income rises and reaches zero around $200,000 (for one eligible child). Source: CYSN Disability Supplement table.
DTC isn't permanent
The federal DTC can be approved with an expiry date. Many families must reapply more than once before their child turns 18. Each reapplication requires medical professional support and reassessment. A child who qualifies today may lose Supplement eligibility years later if reapproval fails or lapses.
What you can do.
Four steps that move the needle before the criteria are finalized.
Three things you can do right now. Contact your MLA. Apply for DTC if you haven't. Share this resource so other families see the under-6 cliff before April 2027.
01 · Email your MLA
Find them at leg.bc.ca/members. Tell them what funding cliff your family faces and what auto-enrolment for AHP kids would mean to you. Personal stories carry weight that statistics don't.
02 · Share this page
Most caregivers have not yet read what the February 2026 announcement actually says. Bookmark this page. Send it to other families. Awareness is the first step.
03 · Apply for the DTC now
If your child does not yet hold the federal Disability Tax Credit, start that application — the Supplement depends on it. Watch for the federal Autism-fast-track changes coming in 2026.
04 · Follow & subscribe
Tier criteria and assessment processes will be released between now and Spring 2027 — we'll track every change as it lands.
"No disabled child left behind. No disabled child left with less."
Fair Autism & Disability Funding BC