Speech & Language Pathology

St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph is a service provider for Ontario Autism Program (OAP) in Guelph, Wellington County and across Ontario. 

Children who are 12 to 48 months old and have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder may register through the Ontario Autism Program to be eligible to access our services. Families must first register with AccessOAP to obtain an OAP number. Once registered, families of eligible children will receive an invitation from  AccessOAP, which allows them to participate in the program. 

There is currently no wait-list for this program at St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph.  

Caregiver-mediated early years programs help young children learn new skills and meet individual goals. All programs are play-based, child-led and developmentally appropriate. Programs are offered free of charge for up to six months per child. Through these programs, caregivers learn therapeutic strategies and specific techniques from professionals based on their child’s individual needs. The programs aim to build caregivers’ capacity to support their child’s skill development in:

• Social interaction
• Play
• Communication
• Emotional development
• Adaptive development and self-help skills

Once you receive an invitation from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, visit the Ontario Autism Program website to learn more about the service and other opportunities available. 

When families choose the program that’s right for their child, they register directly with the service provider. For a full list of service providers, click here.

St. Joe’s offers one caregiver-mediated early years program called PLAY project:

PLAY Project

Age range: 12-48 months at the start of the program

Type of program: Individual parent coaching sessions

Location: Coaching sessions can take place at St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph or virtually.

Duration: Up to six months

Visits: Individual parent coaching sessions every two weeks for 60 to 90 minutes

Homework: Parents are expected to practice two hours per day, broken down into shorter practice times in day-to-day activities and play time.

The PLAY Project™ (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters) is an evidence-based, parent-mediated intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder. It is a practical, play-based program that supports the development of social interaction, communication, play and pre-academic skills.

This program is appropriate for children 12 to 48 months at different levels of development and different communication abilities, from children who use no words to those who communicate in sentences. Practice occurs during play and everyday activities.

The PLAY consultant provides parents with video and written feedback and supports parents to develop an individualized PLAY plan, so parents’ play is fun and effective and helps their child make progress.

PLAY consultants can work with families to find solutions, if there are scheduling issues. This format of individual parent coaching may be beneficial for clients that need interpreter service.

https://playproject.org/

Clients who have a developmental needs, live in Ontario and are 18 years of age or older may be eligible for support with their communication and/or swallowing needs. Clients already enrolled in Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) can easily call to request a referral to Speech-Language Pathology services for communication and/or swallowing supports.

A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) works with clients and their caregivers to complete an assessment. The client, caregiver and SLP develop a plan and set goals together; treatment or consultations are based on the client’s and/or caregiver’s needs.

The program aims to build capacity to support development in: eating/swallowing, speech clarity, stuttering, social language, language comprehension and expression, and augmentative and alternative communication (for individuals who are non-verbal or who have limited verbal).

If you are not registered with DSO, please note the application process can be long. It is recommended that clients start their application process at age 16 in order to access services by age 18.  For more information, visit the DSO website at https://www.dsontario.ca/

If you are registered with DSO, call to request Speech-Language Pathology services. 1-888-941-1121.

Click here for a brief information sheet on the Adult Developmental Service.

Referrals to this program come directly from DSO.

Adults who are patients of SJHCG in the complex medical or rehabilitation programs, have access to communication and feeding/swallowing assessments and intervention. Adults in the Guelph community may access outpatient communication services.

A Speech-Language Pathologist works with clients for whom communication has been affected by stroke, traumatic brain injury, or degenerative disease. They also provide services for voice disorders (vocal quality, pitch, loudness), and fluency.

Help with communication difficulties may involve assessment and treatment to improve one or more areas of communication or cognitive language skills, including receptive and expressive language, speech, reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and organization skills required to communicate effectively. A Speech-Language Pathologist may also promote social participation and support for family members by connecting clients and families to additional resources and programs in the community.

A swallowing disorder can harm the health of those affected. Early identification and treatment of swallowing disorders can help prevent malnutrition, dehydration, and pulmonary problems. It can also promote greater independence in elderly people.

Outpatient Adult Referral Form