Funding, waitlists are ‘barriers’ to autism services, says Child Development Centre, as university opens accessibility survey

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A new survey about the availability of autism services in rural communities is now open.

The Centre for Rural Health Research (CRHR) at the University of British Columbia has developed the survey, which focuses on families who have been forced to leave their communities to access autism diagnostic and support services.

Tana Millner, executive director at the Child Development Centre (CDC) in Fort St. John, said: “A lot of the barrier is funding, of course.

“That’s not the only reason accessing assessment is challenging. There are waitlists for publicly-funded autism assessments.”

According to the CRHR, the purpose of the survey is to learn about the costs and experiences of rural families when travelling for autism support services. 

This comes after the Ministry of Children and Family Development announced three new programs to revamp its funding for families with children with autism. 

First, the ministry will be offering a new direct funding benefit, called the BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit. Children and youth up to 19 years old who have a lifelong disability that requires significant support are eligible for the benefit. 

The benefit will take effect in April 2026.

As of July 2027, the ministry will also offer the B.C. Children and Youth Disability Supplement, a monthly payment that helps middle- and low-income families with the cost of raising a child with support needs.

Families who are eligible can receive up to $6,000 per year, per child. 

It will replace current funding programs, including autism funding, which the ministry says were based only on diagnosis. 

The ministry claims the new benefits will offer funding tailored to each child’s functional needs  and there will be new support for families who have never received help before.

The ministry also says it will be enhancing community-based support systems for families. 

Despite claims by the ministry that these new measures will improve accessibility for families seeking autism support, one Fort St. John family is worried about funding cuts.

More information on the new services becoming available can be viewed on the Government of Canada website. 

Those who wish to respond to the survey must be 18 years or older and currently seeking an autism assessment, the parent or guardian of an autistic child or youth, a resident of a rural or remote community or someone who had to leave their community to receive care.