Resources | Hands TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca

Autism and Behavioural Services

Explore our resources, tip sheets, and links to other programs below

Early Signs of Autism

We understand that it can be scary if your toddler is showing signs of a developmental delay. Understanding what is going on is your best first step.

Read through the list of early signs of Autism below. If your child is showing any of the signs, please speak with us at Hands, or your family doctor as soon as possible.

Not responding to sounds, voices, or name
Poor eye contact
No social smiling by 6 months
Unusual attachment to or use of toys/objects
Not showing items or sharing interests
No babbling, pointing, meaningful gestures by 12 months
Any loss of speech or social skills
No two-word phrases by 24 months
No use of single words by 16 months

Tip Sheets

We have many tip sheets that can give you more information on topics to support your child’s development. Explore our tip sheets below to learn more.

Respite Funding

We offer respite funding for those in crisis, as well as for group and individual activities. You can find our applications for respite funding below.

For more information, please contact our Family Service Team, at 1-800-668-8555 ext. 1333 or by email at [email protected].

Other Resources

Find additional Autism-related resources here.

Speech and Language Templates

Visual Support Templates

Web Resources

Child and Youth Mental Health

Explore general information on Child and Youth Mental Health, as well as topic-specific resources below.

General Information and Forms

Welcome To Hands – Client and Family Package: Find information about our organization and how we work
Client Statement of Rights: Understand your rights as a client of Hands

Family Resources

Muskoka Family Network: A place to connect with other families who have been touched by a disability
Fem’aide: A provincial helpline for Francophone women dealing with violence
COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness: Promoting better outcomes for children and families where a parent experiences mental illness
Family Care Centre: An evidence-based resource hub for parents of children and youth with mental illness to help parents find much-needed support
Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program (OSP): OSP is a NEW service for individuals 18 years of age and over who have depression, anxiety or anxiety-related conditions.

Addiction

Anxiety and Depression

Crisis Support

Education

Death and Grieving

Divorce and Separation

Tele-Mental Health

Ontario’s Tele-Mental Health Service provides children and youth in rural, remote and underserved communities with access to specialized mental health consultations through videoconferencing. Find information below:

Tele-Mental Health Referral Forms

Developmental Services for Adults

Explore general information on Adult Developmental Services, as well as topic-specific resources below.

General Information and Forms

Supporting Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Executive Functioning Newsletter

Developmental Services Ontario

Passport Program

Passport Program: Visit the Passport Program website.

Virtual Support

We offer virtual service wherever possible, to safely deliver important and much-needed services while protecting employees, clients, families and communities.

We have developed resources to help you access our services virtually. Click on the links below to learn more about connecting to virtual services using BlueJeans: