Support Services

Once the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder has been given, the parents/caregivers should be in contact with the Ministry of Children and Families whose department for Children and Youths with Special Needs will provide infomation on resources available, some of which are described below.

REGISTERED AUTISM SERVICE PROVIDERS & OTHER RESOURCES 

The Registry of Autism Service Providers (RASP) list is updated weekly by ACT (Autism Community Training). It is a listing of professionals that parents contract to provide services to their children with autism. It is important to know that parents of children under 6 years of age with ASD must choose their professionals from this list if they wish them to be paid by the Ministry of Children & Families (MCFD).

The following is an excerpt from the B.C. list which includes Behaviour Consultants, Speech & Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists who designate the central Vancouver Island as part of their service area. We will endeavour to update this list on a monthly basis.

For more up-to-date information and broader location, please access the complete list at www.actcommunity.ca/rasp/search
REGISTERED AUTISM SERVICE PROVIDERS
RESOURCES
Learning Centres
Behaviour Consultants
Joan Astren
Phone: 250-616-9182
Area Served
Duncan, Gold River, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Port Alice, Port Hardy, Salt Spring Island, Tofino, Ucuelet
Lauren Binnendyk
Phone: (604) 721-3615
Area Served
All of B.C.
Erin Bishop
Phone: (250) 361-5985
Area Served
Comox, Courtenay, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach
Heather Carlos
Phone: (604) 786-9185
Area Served
Victoria
Denise Clifford
Phone:
Area Served
Ladysmith, Sidney, Victoria
Victoria Coward
Phone: (250) 386-1171
Area Served
Sidney, Sooke, Victoria
John DeMarco
Phone: 250-884-5623
Area Served

Nanaimo, Saanich, Salt Spring Island, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria
Danielle Eeuwes
Phone: 250 727-5615
Area Served
Victoria to Parksville
Jemana Elsharkawi
Phone: (250) 816-2297
Area Served
Campbell River, Chemainus, Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Hardy, Port McNeil, Qualicum Beach
Janet Harder
Phone: 250-597-8997
Area Served
Chemainus, Duncan, Ladysmith, Mill Bay
Petra Krobath
Phone: (250) 585-4411
Area Served
Comox Valley, Nanaimo
Sue Larke
Phone: (403) 510-5256
Area Served

Nanaimo, Victoria
Whitney Larzelere
Phone: 250-885-6194
Area Served
Victoria
Robert Livingston
Phone: 604 306-3894
Area Served
Burnaby, Gabriola Island, Nanaimo, North Vancouver, Richmond, Vancouver, West Vancouver
Magdalena Markiewicz
Phone: (604) 618-2204
Area Served
Nanaimo
Jennifer Matheos
Phone: (250) 386-1171
Area Served
Colwood, Langford, Pender Island, Saanich, Salt Spring Island, Sidney, Victoria
Carly McDiarmid
Phone: (604) 368-4966
Area Served
Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Shawnigan Lake, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria 
Katrina McGee
Phone: (250) 383-2326
Area Served
Duncan, Mill Bay, Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria
Paige Nadeau
Phone: (250) 739-1972
Area Served

Comox, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Hardy, Tofino, Victoria
Laurel Rankin
Phone: (604) 562-4675
Area Served
Campbell River, Comox Valley, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, Powell River, Qualicum Beach, Tofino, Ucluelet
Bruce Reimer
Phone: 250-751-4550
Area Served
Nanaimo 
Katie Rinald
Phone: 778-999-8347
Area Served
All of B.C
 www.blackbirdse.com               
Megan Rollins
Phone: (778) 440-3509
Area Served
All of B.C
Fiona Sollitt
Phone: 250-954-7479
Area Served
Lantzville, Parksville, Qualicum Beach
Shantelle Soto
Phone: (250) 472-8304
Area Served
Langford, Saanich, Sidney, Victoria
Elizabeth Sparling
Phone: 250-508-9188
Area Served
Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Sooke, Victoria
Kathryn Theroux
Phone: (778) 846-0031
Area Served
Burnaby, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria, West Vancouver
Danielle Watson
Phone: (250) 240-2828
Area Served
Comox Valley, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Powell River, Qualicum Beach
Sara White
Phone: 604-798-5297
Area Served
Burnaby, Cloverdale, Comox Valley, Coquitlam, Langley, Nanaimo, Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria, White Rock
Neveen Zaki
Phone: (250) 999-2028
Area Served
Colwood, Langford, Saanich, Victoria
Speech & Language Pathologists
Colleen Belliveau
Phone: 250-538-7467
Area Served
Salt Spring Island
  

Charlene Bradbury
Phone:
Area Served
Vancouver Island
Currently accepting new clients
Sumi Choudhury
Phone: (250) 738-9830
Area Served
Campbell River, Comox Valley, Duncan, Ladysmith, Lantzville, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach
Jennifer Diana
Phone: (250) 585-3279
Area Served
Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni                                  
Lisa Dymond
Phone: (250) 686-3529
Area Served
Duncan, Ladysmith, Mill Bay, Nanaimo, Shawnigan Lake, Victoria
Pauline Falck
Phone: 250-923-2339
Area Served
Campbell River
Janice Forsey
Phone: 250 331-3336
Area Served
Courtenay, Comox, Port Alberni, Parksville
Jim Foulds
Phone: (250)228-3333
Area Served
Bowser, Campbell River, Comox Valley, Gold River, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, Port McNeil, Qualicum Beach                                  

Nathan Giesbrecht
Phone: (778) 440-3962
Area Served
Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Victoria
Leslie Hanika
Phone: 250-390-9263
Area Served
Vancouver Island
Timothy Hanika
Phone: 250-390-9263
Area Served
Vancouver Island
Janet M. Harder
Phone: 250-597-8997
Area Served
Mill Bay to Ladysmith
Nomi Kaston
Phone: (250) 217-8123
Area Served
Victoria
Jennifer Kemp
Phone: 250 390-9263
Area Served
Nanaimo
Retha Kruger
Phone: 250-585-4411
Area Served
Courtenay, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach                                  
Janet Mansbridge
Phone: 250-619-4880
Area Served
Chemainus, Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni                                  
Mary McKenna
Phone: 250 331-1125
Area Served
Comox Valley, Campbell River
Denise McVicar
Phone: (613) 608-5385
Area Served
Nanaimo and Surrounding communities
Kellie Mitchell
Phone: 250 816-9269
Area Served
Mid Vancouver Island
Caitlin Nalli
Phone: (250) 896-2802
Area Served
Chemainus, Duncan, Ladysmith
Joanna Neilson
Phone: 250-748-9488
Area Served
Mid Vancouver Island, Cowichan Valley
Sara Perillo
Phone: 250 585-4411
Area Served
Comox, Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach
                                 
Tracy Simonar
Phone: 250-390-9263
Area Served
 
Ladysmith, Lantzville, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach
                                     
Susan Stepaniuk
Phone: 250 544-2258
Area Served
Qualicum Beach, Port Alberni, Greater Victoria
Occupational Therapists
Claire Abecia
Phone: (250) 516-2797
Area Served
Areas Served: Galiano Island, Mill Bay, Pender Island, Salt Spring Island, Saturna Island, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria
Kylee Abrahamson
Phone: (250) 650-7472
Area Served
Black Creek, Campbell River, Comox, Courtney, Cumberland, Denman Island, Hornby Island, Merville
Amanda Baker
Phone: 250 882-2040
Area Served
Chemainus, Comox Valley, Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Ladysmith, Mill Bay, Nanaimo, Salt Spring Island, Sidney, Vancouver, Victoria
Kim Barthel
Phone: (250)727-7677
Area Served
Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast
Fran Bitonti
Phone: (250)388-0992
Area Served
Langford, Saanich, Sooke, Victoria
Rebecca Bjorklund
Phone: (250) 895-1054
Area Served
Black Creek, Campbell River, Comox, Comox Valley, Courtney, Gold River, Quadra Island
Dominique Brose
Phone: (250) 650-2135
Area Served
Campbell River, Courtney, Parksville, Qualicum Beach
Laurence Filion
Phone: (250) 286-1171
Area Served
Duncan, Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria
Lila Mandziuk
Phone: 250-586-7457
Area Served
Vancouver Island
Hanna Nagtegaal
Phone: (250) 218-6068
Area Served
Campbell River, Comox Valley, Denman Island, Hornby Island, Parksville
Melissa O'Brien
Phone: 250-650-3155
Area Served
Black Creek, Campbell River, Comox, Courntey, Cumberland, Merville
Alicia Pollock
Phone: (250) 730-1834
Area Served
Chemainus, Comox, Courtney, Nanaimo, Nanoose Bay, Parksville, Qualicum Beach
Stephanie Probodiak
Phone: 250 588-5200
Area Served
Vancouver Island
Diana Sharpe
Phone: 250-710-7060
Area Served
Vancouver Island
Susan Stacey
Phone: 250-246-0579
Area Served
South Central Vancouver Island, Salt Spring Island 
Alison Stewart
Phone: 250-954-9665
Area Served
Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Nanaimo, Port Alberni 
Physiotherapists
Karen DeBorba
Phone: 250-752-3393
Area Served
Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Port Alberni 
Sarah Dunderdale
Phone: (250) 951-3859
Area Served
Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach
Erica Farrel
Phone: (250) 465-2482
Area Served
Campbell River, Comox, Comox Valley, Courtney, Parksville, Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach
Nanaimo Child Development Centre(CDC) is a community based, non-profit organization that provides individualized services for children and promotes optimum child development (www.nanaimocdc.com).

Autism Community Training (ACT) is an information and referral service created to support families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in B.C.   They provide information officers, an information database, autism manual for BC, parent training live and on-line, bursaries available. (www.actcommunity.ca)

Footholds Therapy Center offers a broad range of assessment and therapeutic services to all people with special needs, irrespective of their developmental stage (www.footholds.ca).  
     
ACE Therapy for Kids – Provide direct occupational therapy services in client’s home, school or other community setting.  Other services include assessment, consultation and educational workshops for parents and teachers (www.members.shaw.ca/acetherapy/index.htm).

The F.O.R.C.E. is a society for childrens’ mental health;  their mandate is to support and empower families and work collaboratively with professionals and systems in understanding and meeting the mental health needs of families. (www.forcesociety.com).
 
 
The Ministry of Children and Family Development, Child, Family and Community Services-CYSN has provided the following information on resources and services available.  For more information phone 250-741-3600, toll free 1-800-823-4246:
 
Family Support Institute (FSI) - Directed by families, the FSI assists families in 3 main ways: 1) Workshops 2) Networking is promoted to enable families to build upon the expertise of each other and to facilitate families meeting together to address common issues, needs and concerns. 3)Up-to-date information on services, current practices, and educational options. www.familysupportbc.com/
 
Nanaimo & Region Disability Resource Cedntre - provides disability-related information to individuals and groups.  The Centre houses a large number of pamphlets, brochures, and forms.  They provide information on services and resources available to people living with a disability.  They also publish an information directory called "Pathways to Independence".  They are located at #2-4166 Departure Bay Rd., Nanaimo, phone 250 758-5547 http://nrdrc.org/
 
Support Worker Central - Finding compatible support workers to assist you or your family member with a disability can be challenging.  Support Worker Central is an online database designed to match individual, families and agencies with support workers in their communities. www.supportworkercentral.com
 
The Ministry of Children and Family Development has produced 2 information guides to support the development of person-centred transition plans for youth with special needs:
1. Transition Planning for Youth with Special Needs:  A Community Support Guide - provides information based on best practices to assist teachers, social workers and other community partners in supporting successful transition planning.
2.Your Future Now:  A Transition Planning and Resource Guide for Youth with Special Needs and Their Families - includes a workbook and resource guide to assist youth and their families with the development of an individualized transition plan.
 
Moving to Adulthood - is a local document that School District 68 and the Ministry of Children and Family Development have created which is to remind families of youths 14 to 16 yrs. they need to begin thinking about the process.
  

RESPITE

Carmichael Enterprises – accredited for its Community Living Services and Respite Services programs (www.carmichaelenterprises.ca).



Transformations Learning Centre provides specialized education services for children, kindergarten to Grade 12, who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neuro-developmental disabilities
http://www.transformationslearning.org/ 

Claro Learning Centre is a learning centre devoted to the education of children and youth (K-12) with special needs using holistic and individualized programs (www.clarocentres.com).

Nuko is a registered Canadian charity that supports the needs of children and youth with neuro-developmental disabilities, and their families.  They have opened the Nanaimo Unique Kids Learning Center and also sponsor a Parent Support Group.(www.uniquekidsorganization.com).

Did you know Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization (NUKO) has a new early intervention program starting in September!
NUKO’s Early Intervention Program offers the following services:
·Up to 10 hours of 1-to-1 behavioral intervention each week
·Individualized programs written and overseen by a highly qualified behavioral consultation team
·Functional skills training
·Academic skills training
·Group and recreational time
·Life skills training
·Support with transitioning to school settings
Our Consultants:
·Dr. Sara White PhD, BCBA-D
·Laurel Huber, MSc
·Keri Chapdelaine, BA
Check out our webste for registration and more information about NUKO.
www.nuko.ca

Footholds Therapy Learning Center uses a collaborative approach which places learners and their families first and provides individualized educational services with a high staff ratio.  The center is committed to academics while recognizing the validity and uniqueness of an individual's specific learning style (K-12).  (email footholds@me.com) (www.footholds.ca)