Autism Services: Virtual or in-person?

The growth of virtual services was necessary during the pandemic and some in the autism community claim that the new style of program is a positive thing – though others believe that the best services for children with autism remain to be face-to-face in-person meetings.

Kate Guzzo-Foliaro is an autism researcher with two children on different ends of the spectrum. (Cory Nordstrom/CTV News Northern Ontario)Kate Guzzo-Foliaro has two children on different ends of the autism spectrum.

She told CTV News the pair require very different types of autism services with one preferring virtual.

"Not every child fits into that type of learning or that type of box,” said Guzzo-Foliaro.

“We need to change our services to meet the needs of the families that we're providing services to."

In collaboration with Kinark, a centre that provides virtual programs and services, Guzzo-Foliaro recently completed a research brief claiming that the outcomes of virtual autism services are comparable to some in-person services and have many additional benefits.

"Virtual services are certainly another option for families, particularly families who may face significant barriers to accessing in-person treatment," said Scott Bark with Kinark Child and Family Services.

Guzzo-Foliaro said this is something that we need to be offering to all families.

“Hopefully it becomes something that is just one option,” she said.

“Not the only option of in-person."

Scott Bark is the senior director of Autism Services at Kinark and has more than 25 years of experience as a clinician, teacher and administrator. (Cory Nordstrom/CTV News Northern Ontario)Officials with Kinark Child and Family Services said that online programs need to include service navigation and working directly with parents.

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The head of the Ontario Autism Coalition agrees that virtual services have a place but says they do not cover as much as a traditional face-to-face between a child and a professional.

Alina Cameron is the head of Ontario Autism Coalition and sits as the northern representative for the Ontario Autism Coalition Board. (Cory Nordstrom/CTV News Northern Ontario)"Applied behavioral analysis, speech-language therapy and occupational therapy: for most families, they prefer to have those things in person,” said Alina Cameron, head of the coalition.

“There's a big difference in quality of care when you're getting something in person one-on-one as opposed to consultative, over the phone or over Zoom."