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Call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.

For immediate support, call the Suicide Crisis Help Line at 988 or go to your nearest emergency department.

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Special Needs Services

Pathway to Complex Special Needs (CSN) Funding Supports

Complex Special Needs (CSN) funding offers extra, short-term support for children and youth with very high and complex needs when local services are not enough, even after Coordinated Service Planning (CSP) has taken place.

CSN is not a separate program. It is an enhanced funding option within CSP, used when regular supports can’t meet a child or youth’s needs.

CSN Funding Can Help:

  • Support children and youth who have ongoing, high-level needs
  • Stabilize care for children and youth in long-term, high-risk situations
  • Help with a planned transition back to regular or community-based services

Important to Know:

  • CSN is not for emergencies or crisis situations.
  • If a child or youth is at immediate risk, families and service providers should follow regular crisis response steps (like calling a crisis line, going to the hospital, or contacting emergency services).
  • CSN may be considered after the crisis is over, if there are still serious, unmet needs that local services cannot manage on their own.
  • This funding is not permanent. It is meant to fill serious service gaps where no other options exist and where CSP is already in place.
How Coordinated Service Planning Links to Complex Special Needs

The CSP team may recommend CSN funding when a Tier 3 family has extraordinary and complex needs, including:

  • Ongoing gaps in support, even after coordinated service planning
  • Safety concerns at home, school, or in the community
  • A breakdown, or risk of breakdown, in care or placement
  • A need for specialized support, like residential care, crisis stabilization, or extra staffing

What the Service Planning Coordinator (SPC) Does:

  • Completes a CSN Referral Screener to gather key details
  • Collects supporting documents, such as assessments, care plans, and input from service providers
  • The referral is sent to the Child & Parent Resource Institute (CPRI)

 

CPRI Will:

  • Review the referral to see if the child or youth is eligible
  • Decide what funding or services can be offered
  • Share a decision and outlines the supports approved through CSN

 

If CSN funding is approved, the family is connected to a CSN Case Manager, who will take over the lead role in managing CSN-funded support. The CSP team may still stay involved if needed, depending on the family’s situation and CSP staff capacity

To be eligible for Complex Special Needs (CSN) funding, children or youth must:

  • Be under 18, or under 21 if still attending school
  • Live in Ontario and be legally allowed to live in Canada
  • Have complex needs that are too much for the family and local services to manage on their own. This may include mental health, developmental, behavioural, or medical needs.
  • Be referred through the CSN Referral Screener, which must show that the situation is urgent or high-risk, that the family has already tried other services in the community and a clear reason why CSN funding is needed.
  • They must also have an Individualized CSN Service Plan, which is reviewed every year.

 

Important Note: To be eligible for CSN, the child or youth must already be active in the Coordinated Service Planning (CSP) program and assessed as Tier 3, which means they have the highest level of need and risk. 

Access to these supports depends on the CSN application review, CPRI recommendations, and what services are available locally.

Out-of-Home Supports

  • Short-term stays in places like specialized group homes or treatment programs
  • Temporary placements to stabilize a crisis when staying at home isn’t possible

In-Home Supports

  • Extra in-home staff or supervision for safety or complex care needs
  • Respite care to give parents or caregivers a short break
  • Behaviour support and coaching delivered in the home

Clinical & Therapeutic Supports

  • Access to specialized mental health services that may not be available locally
  • Dual-diagnosis services for children with both developmental and mental health needs
  • Trauma-informed therapy or consultations

Care Coordination & Transition Planning

  • Help with planning transitions from youth justice, hospitals, or group care back into the community
  • Extra support to coordinate care across different sectors (health, education, and justice)
  • Short-term help to stabilize a situation and keep the child at home or in their community

Support for Families

  • Skill-building for parents and caregivers to handle complex needs
  • Temporary family supports to help keep children safely at home
  • Planning for the future, so families feel more confident and supported long-term

CSN referrals are completed by your CSP worker with the family and other service providers.

Referrals are submitted to the Child and Parent Resource Institute(CPRI), who will:

  • Review the referral
  • Make eligibility and funding determination
  • Allocate approved budgets
  •  

Important Notes

  • CSN is not a guaranteed service. It is available only in exceptional cases and requires formal referral and approval.
  • Supports are not permanent and are intended to stabilize, not replace, community systems.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong disability that affects how the brain and body work. It is caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy and can impact a person’s learning, memory, attention, emotions, and daily life skills. Every person with FASD is different. Some may face more challenges in certain areas, while also having unique strengths. With the right support, children and youth with FASD can do well at home, at school, and in their communities.

We know that finding the right supports for your child or youth can feel overwhelming. Out FASD Services are here to walk alongside your family, offering support that is:

  • Respectful
  • Understanding
  • Personalized to your child’s needs
Who We Support 

We work closely with families, caregivers, and community partners to ensure coordinated, culturally safe, and effective service delivery.

To be eligible, children, youth and their families must:

  • Live in Ontario and are legally entitled to live in Canada
  • Are aged 18 or under, or up to 21 years old if still in school
  • Have or may have FASD. A formal diagnosis is not required
  • One-on-one support for your child or youth
  • Education and resources to help you understand and navigate FASD
  • Help connecting to diagnostic services (when available)
  • Parent and caregiver support including peer connections and support groups
  • Service coordination helping you access other programs and supports
  • Development of a personalized support plan based on your family’s needs and goals
  • Support during transitions, such as entering school, changing grades, or moving into adulthood
  • Collaboration with educators, service providers, & healthcare teams to help others better support your child
  • Assistance during system navigation so you don’t have to repeat your story over and over 
  • Wait Times: If there is a waitlist for service, we will clearly explain what that means and keep you updated. 
  • Service Duration: Support is flexible and tailored to your needs. It may be short-term or longer depending on your goals – Usually up to 1 year, with the option to re-connect if needs change.  
  • Cost: There is no cost to you for FASD services. 
  • Privacy: We take your privacy seriously. We will only share your information with other services with your written consent. 

 

For some additional FASD resources please visit: https://canfasd.ca/ 

Please contact our Central intake team to complete a referral.

Phone: (519) 371-4773 x5 
Office: 1793 3rd Ave W, Owen Sound, ON N4K 6Y2 
Send an e-mail: [email protected]

ASD Respite Funding helps families cover the cost of planned respite care for children and youth (up to age 18) who have been diagnosed with autism and live in Grey or Bruce County.

Applications are due January 31 each year, with funding approved for the period of April 1 – March 31. Late applications will be placed on a waitlist and considered only if additional funds become available. 

Applications are reviewed anonymously and prioritized by Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services, following Ministry guidelines and available funding. Please note: Not all applicants will receive funding

If approved, families will receive a respite package by email that includes a funding agreement and a spending plan to complete and return. 

If you would like to make a referral, please complete the ASD Application and attach the complete form to the online referral.

ASD Respite Application

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Self-Referral (Youth, Parent or Caregiver)
Professional Referral (Community Partners Only)