CHEO’s School-Based Rehabilitation Services (SBRS) program supports students with rehabilitation needs in the school setting to help them fully participate in the school curriculum. Services include:
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Occupational Therapy (OT)
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Physiotherapy (PT)
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Speech-language Pathology (SLP)
CHEO, in collaboration with CommuniCare Therapy, deliver the SBRS program across the 8 publicly funded school boards in the Champlain region.
Additionally, CHEO therapists provide SBRS services to students attending private schools and to students who are home-schooled.
Schools are the preferred referral source and are encouraged to submit SBRS referrals as they are best able to communicate how the program may assist the school to support the needs of a student.
How does it work?
SBRS is a consultative therapy program offering assessment, consultation, education, strategies, and recommendations to students and school staff.
The SBRS program is designed to address issues that impact the student’s ability to access and be safe at school. These include challenges a student may have in the classroom, hallways, gym, washrooms, lunchroom/cafeteria, playgrounds, on the bus/transportation, etc.
Therapists work with school staff and parents/caregivers to:
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set specific goals
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provide strategies
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recommend equipment, etc. that can be used within the classroom, school environment, and home
Referrals for School-Based Rehabilitation Services
SBRS is intended to support students in the school setting.
Schools are the preferred referral source and are encouraged to submit SBRS referrals as they are best able to communicate how the program may assist the school to support the needs of a student.
Students who are eligible for service, are triaged by priority, and then placed on the SBRS waitlist.
As of June 2025, CHEO has a new online tool to collect referrals:
School Speech Therapy referral form
Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy referral form
After submitting a referral, you will receive an email confirming it has been successfully received by our team. If the referral does not meet eligibility criteria, or if we require more information, you will be contacted by email. If you have any questions about the status of your referral, please contact our intake team at 613-737-7600 ext.6526 or by email at SchoolBasedRehab@cheo.on.ca.
Contact us
If you have any questions about SBRS or if there are changes to your child’s health information, please contact us at any of the following:
Phone: 613-737-7600 ext. 6256
Email: SchoolBasedRehab@cheo.on.ca
Fax: 613-738-4853
If you choose to send an email, please note that you are consenting to receiving electronic communication for the SBRS program. Email should not be used for urgent or sensitive communication, and Personal Health Information (PHI) should not be included in your email.
Frequently asked questions
For parents
| What should I expect when my child/youth is referred to the SBRS program? |
| Our SBRS team reviews every referral submitted to the SBRS program.
Children and youth who cannot safely access their school without our support will be seen right away. If your child/youth is eligible for our service(s), they will be placed on the SBRS waiting list based on their needs. Wait times can vary depending on the type of service(s) needed. While your child/youth is on the waitlist, you may be contacted by a SBRS Care Coordinator for updates on how they are doing. |
| How much therapy will my child/youth receive? |
| Most students will receive OT or PT services for a few months to have a specific need addressed.
Students may be discharged and re-referred to SBRS depending on changes to their condition or needs. On average, students are seen once a month for OT/PT and every 3 weeks for SLP. For SLP, students typically receive services for up to 2 years. |
| What is my role as a parent/guardian? |
| Initially, you will be asked to provide consent for your child/youth to receive support through the SBRS program.
Once the therapist(s) starts working with your child/youth at school, you are expected to support your child/youth’s SBRS care plan so that strategies and practice are consistent across home and school settings. While you are not required to attend the sessions at school, you can participate in meetings with the therapist(s) and school support staff to review your child’s assessment results and will be asked to help your child with the strategies/programming and join discussions with the team about discharge plans. |
| What happens if my child is home schooled? |
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If your child is home schooled, please call the SBRS Care Coordinator at 613-737-7600 ext. 6256 A SBRS Care Coordinator will help determine which service would best support your child/youth’s needs, determine if they are eligible, and help you complete a referral to the SBRS program. As part of the eligibility criteria, parents must provide a copy of the PPM 131, a document obtained from the school board, indicating that the child/youth is excused from attendance at school because they are receiving satisfactory instruction at home. Please visit the Policy/Program Memorandum 131 for additional details. |
| What happens if I move to or outside of the Champlain area? |
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We often receive transfers from other Children’s Treatment Centres (CTCs) for children/youth who were receiving SBRS services in other areas of the province. An SBRS Care Coordinator will contact you to arrange SBRS services in the Champlain area. If your child/youth is currently receiving SBRS services through CHEO and you are moving outside of the Champlain area, please notify our program so we can quickly initiate a transfer to the receiving Children’s Treatment Centres (CTC). You can contact us by calling 613-737-7600 ext. 6256 |
| What if I still have more questions? |
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We welcome all communication and encourage all parents/guardians and partners to connect via phone or email with any questions or concerns. If you choose to send an email, please note that you are consenting to receiving electronic communication for the SBRS program. |
For school staff
| How do I refer a student to the SBRS program? |
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Please complete the appropriate referral form, ensuring that you provide thorough information and a clear description of the issue. Please also include any additional pertinent materials (e.g., SLP assessment is required for all SLP referrals). The following is important information to include in the referral:
Please note that the SBRS program does not address learning disabilities, writing, focusing, attention and/or hyperactivity, as well as other behavioral challenges. |
| How can a student access Speech Therapy services from SBRS? |
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Students are eligible for the SBRS throughout their entire school career. Students can be referred to CHEO-SBRS Speech-Language Pathology services when speech difficulties have been identified by an SLP. The SBRS program offers support to students who have:
Please note: The school board SLPs are responsible for providing services to students related to language, literacy skills and mild articulation difficulties. |
| What if I’d like an update or a student’s needs have changed since the referral was completed? |
| If a student’s status has changed since the referral was completed (e.g., a decline in their health, a new diagnosis, a new equipment need was identified), we encourage you to contact a SBRS Care Coordinator to discuss further. You can contact us by calling 613-737-7600 ext. 6256 |
| What is my role in this process as a teacher/school support staff? |
| Principals, teachers, and other members of the school team can contribute to the SBRS program by submitting referrals for therapy services on behalf of the student.
It is important that school support staff follow through with agreed-upon school-based strategies put in place by the therapist(s), including programming frequency and duration. Once the student is released from the waitlist, the therapist(s) will be contacting the school to ensure that appropriate space will be available in the school and that school staff will be available to collaborate in the delivery of therapy services. |
| What if I have questions or concerns regarding sync.com? |
| Please review this document additional information about sync.com. |