Urgent Response Service (URS)

Children’s Treatment Network (CTN) is leading the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services’ (MCCSS) Urgent Response Service (URS) in Simcoe County and York Region. URS is one of the key elements of the ministry’s revamped Ontario Autism Program (OAP).

Is your child or youth:
•   Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
•   Registered with the Ontario Autism Program (OAP). If your child or youth with a diagnosis is not registered with the OAP, contact 1-888-444-4530 or oap@ontario.ca to register your child/youth.
•   Living in Simcoe County or York Region
•   Engaging in a new or recently escalated behaviour that is harmful to themselves or others
If you answered yes to the above, please contact a CTN Service Navigator who will help determine URS eligibility based on defined ministry criteria.

What We Do

URS is a time-limited (up to 12 weeks), rapid response service that addresses a specific need to prevent further escalation of a child or youth harming themselves, others or property. The service is available to any child or youth registered in the OAP who meets defined ministry criteria which is determined through a screening process that looks at high risk factors.

Services include:

Short-term interdisciplinary consultation to a child/youth’s intervention team and/or family and/or educator(s)
Respite
Direct support to the family and/or professionals involved to implement intervention and/or therapy techniques with the child/youth (e.g., mediator model intervention)
Service navigation and coordination to existing services outside of the OAP

The URS:

Is not a 24/7 crisis support service or a residential service
Does not provide direct funding for families
Is not a fast track to core clinical services in the OAP or other services outside the OAP

Families requiring immediate support outside of regular business hours should proceed to their nearest emergency department of their local hospital.

Eligibility:

Families who live in York Region or Simcoe County who have a child/youth, registered for the Ontario Autism Program can access Urgent Response Services by calling our ACCESS team at 1-866-377-0286, via email at urs@ctnsy.ca or by completing the referral form. One of our service navigators will make initial contact with the family within two business days of receiving the referral to determine eligibility for the service.