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Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program (ACSD)
Last Update: March 6, 2026
Ontario, Canada
Financial support for families caring for children with severe disabilities
Grant and Funding
Overview
The Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program (ACSD) offers up to $665 per month to help families offset the extra costs of caring for a child with a severe disability. Eligible activities include travel to medical appointments, special clothing, parental respite, and coverage for disability-related expenses such as assistive devices and prescription drugs.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increasing community impact
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 665 $
- Minimum amount : 25 $
- Up to 28% of project cost
Timeline
- Open continuously
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- $ 76,200 maximum revenue
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Persons with Disabilities
- Youth (<40)
Activities funded
- Providing financial support to families for the care of children with severe disabilities.
- Facilitating parental relief through respite services.
- Supporting access to necessary health-related appointments and treatments for children with disabilities.
- Assisting families in obtaining specialized assessments and assistive devices for children with severe disabilities.
- Enhancing access to essential health, dental, and vision care services for eligible children.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 665
Parental respite through weekend care for child with autism
$ 665
Assistive device assessment and contribution for pediatric hearing aid
$ 655
Travel support for monthly occupational therapy appointments for child
$ 665
Coverage for prescription drugs and dental care for epileptic child
$ 665
Purchase special orthopaedic shoes and winter clothing for child
$ 660
Repair and battery replacement for pediatric wheelchair equipment
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a parent or guardian of a child under 18 years of age (17 and under) living at home with a severe disability.
- The total household income must be $76,200 or less.
- Eligibility and funding amount depend on family size, severity of the child’s disability, and extraordinary costs related to the child’s disability.
Who is eligible?
- The father, the mother, the legal guardian or the legal tutor of a child under 18 years old (17 years or younger) living at home and having a severe disability.
Eligible expenses
- Travel expenses for doctors’ appointments, hospital visits, and other disability-related appointments
- Cost of special shoes and clothing required by the child
- Parental relief services, such as respite care
- Assessment for an assistive device
- Consumer contribution for a device provided under the Assistive Devices Program
- Batteries and repairs for mobility devices
- Prescription drugs through OHIP+
- Dental care through the Healthy Smiles Ontario program
- Hearing aids and vision care, including eyeglasses
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
How to apply
1
Check your eligibility
- Ensure your child is under 18, lives at home, and has a severe disability
- Verify your total household income is $76,200 or less
- Take into account the family size and the child’s additional care costs
2
Select your application method
- Choose to apply online or by paper application
- Prepare the required documents and information
- Access the online platform or download the paper form
3
Complete your application
- Fill in all required sections of the application
- Provide accurate details and supporting documents
- Contact community agencies or professionals if you need help
4
Review your application
- Review the application to confirm all information is correct
- Save or edit your online application if needed before submission
- Only one application per child is permitted
5
Submit your application
- Submit your completed application to the designated office
- Submit a separate application for each eligible child
- Ensure submission within the allotted time (e.g., 90 days online)
6
Await the eligibility decision
- Receive a letter informing you if you qualify for ACSD
- Respond to any requests for additional information from the program
- Contact your local office for status updates if needed
7
Appeal if necessary
- If you disagree with the decision, request an internal review within 30 days
- Follow the instructions provided in the decision letter
- Further appeal to the Social Benefits Tribunal if needed
Additional information
- Annual ACSD payment increases are tied to inflation, with new maximum rates coming into effect each July.
- The Canada Disability Benefit from the federal government is exempt as income for ACSD recipients and does not impact eligibility or payment amounts.
- If a Canada Post labour disruption occurs, payments by direct deposit will continue, but mailed cheques and document submissions may be affected.
- Applicants have the right to request an internal review of decisions within 30 days, and can appeal to the Social Benefits Tribunal if dissatisfied with the review outcome.
