Access Team — delivering SmartStart Hub services

If you are looking to make a referral to CHEO's Coordinated Service Planning team, please complete the CSP referral form.

To make a referral to CHEO's Autism Services, visit our Autism Services webpage.

To make a referral to the Ontario Autism Program, please contact the Ontario Autism Program, Access OAP

If you have questions about other programs or services that your child may be eligible for or benefit from at CHEO you can contact the CHEO Autism Services team.

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To learn more about and sign up for MyChart, visit our MyChart webpage and fill out the MyChart Access Request Form.

The Access Team directs families and physicians to the correct care and treatment for children and youth. Some of the services included: social work, autism diagnosis, respite, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, recreation therapy, behaviour services and the First Words Preschool Speech and Language Program.

Ontario’s Children’s Treatment Centres and Surrey Place in Toronto are providing a new service called SmartStart Hubs. As SmartStart Hubs, these agencies will be a clear point of entry to services for children and families. Each Hub will bring together local child development professionals, providing seamless connections to assessments and services for families who have a concern about their child’s development.

Each child or youth that is referred to the Access Team is individually triaged and connected to the development and rehabilitation services that are best for them. The individual services will then contact the family to arrange service.

The Access Team, now delivering SmartStart Hub services, is for those with complex needs. It is for children who have missed important developmental milestones like sitting or talking, or children and youth who have complex physical and cognitive health issues.

The Access Team is also for children and youth with simple rehabilitation needs, like temporary treatment after a sports injury. And, it is even for families who may need a break from caring for their child or youth with complex needs.

You may request specific services when you use the Access Team referral form.

To make a referral to the Ontario Autism Program, please contact the Ontario Autism Program Central Intake and Registration team. If you have questions about other programs or services that your child may be eligible for or benefit from at CHEO you can contact the CHEO Autism Services team.

When there is any reason to believe that a child or youth may need development and rehabilitation service. For instance, a youth has been in a car accident and may need physical therapy or a child is not sitting alone by 9 months.

If your main concern is about your child's speech and language skills you should use the First Words Communication Checkup.

The Access Team includes many services, each with their own wait list. The Access Team identifies the best services for each child and youth but the specific wait time will depend on each service. You will be added to the wait list and the specific service will contact you to let you know your status.

Yes.

The Access Team includes intake staff who are experts in assessing the specific development and rehabilitation needs of each child and youth.

It includes most Development and Rehabilitation services, like social work, diagnostic assessment, respite, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, recreation therapy, behaviour services and the First Words Preschool Speech and Language Program.

The area covered by specific services varies slightly from one to another. Generally, the Access Team covers Ottawa, Lanark Leeds Grenville, Stormont Dundas Glengarry, Prescott-Russell, Renfrew County and western Quebec.

Yes. Organizations who share responsibility for the health and wellbeing of children and youth can contact the Access Team. It does not have to be a pediatrician or family physician. Note that families must consent to any organization referring to the Access Team.

Yes. CHEO's Children's Treatment Centre supplies a variety of services. They are all part of Development and Rehabilitation and are available through the Access Team.

No. The Access Team is for children and youth who are new to CHEO services.

If you are currently on a waitlist for CHEO services, you do not need to do anything. You should not reapply. Your current waitlist position remains the same.

If we require additional information you will be contacted by a member of the Access Team. If we are able to refer you to service based on your intake information you will be contacted by that service. If you are not eligible for service you will receive a letter identifying other services you might be eligible for.

There is one form to be filled out with all the information which may be relevant to assessing the needs of your child or youth.

No. Email does not protect personal health information. Contact should be by phone or in person.