Autism Assessment in BC
Autism Assessment in BC
In BC, there are publicly funded autism assessments availablefor people under the age of 19. They are done through the BC Autism Assessment Network (BCAAN). A referral is required. BCAAN accepts referrals from all physicians; specialists and non-specialists.
Start by talking to your doctoror pediatricianabout pursuing an autism assessment. General practitioners, pediatricians, psychiatrists, or nurse practitioners maysubmita referral.Contact your local health authority for additional referral options. If you have requested a referral for an assessment, have been denied, and you feel strongly that further investigation is needed: seek a second opinion.
Wait times for publicly funded assessments can be long. Pursuing an autism assessment through a private clinician is another option.You should be aware that privateassessments have a cost associated with them.
Private Assessment
Private assessments can be a good alternativefor those under the age of 19seeking a shorter wait time. For those over the age of 18, it’s the only option as there are currently no publicly funded assessments specifically for autism in BC.
Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is in-depth and done by a team of qualified professionals working to specific criteria. There are 3 components to a private autism assessment for children under 6. All three parties (registered psychologist, speech language pathologist, pediatrician) must agree on the diagnosis in order to obtain an autism diagnosis.For people over age 6,a qualified BC specialistin private practice- registered psychologist,psychiatrist, or pediatricianmayperform an autismassessment.
All autism assessments in BC must be completed under the Standards and Guidelines for Assessment and Diagnosis of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in British Columbia.
If you are having an assessment done by a private clinician for someone under 19you will need a Non-BCAAN Diagnosis of ASD form completed to access Autism Funding.
If you are moving to BC with a previous diagnosis of ASD for someone under 19 you will need to complete and submit a Confirmation of a Previous Diagnosis.
When you receive an autism diagnosis for someone under the age of 19in BC make an appointment with your local Child & Youth with Support Needs (CYSN) social worker for your next steps.
Additional Autism Assessment Resources
How Autism is Diagnosed - Government of BC
Jordan’s Principle - Government of Canada
Autism Assessment Grant – Variety Childrens Chairty
Waiting for Assessment Workshop - AutismBC
Autism Information Services (AIS) - Government of BC