Autism Funding Unit (AFU) Policies
We can direct bill for autism counselling sessions if your child is approved for funding through the Autism Funding Unit (AFU). Families must first apply to AFU and receive approval before starting therapy if they wish to use this coverage. A valid credit card is required on file for all AFU clients to cover no-shows or late cancellations, as these are not funded by AFU. Families are responsible for tracking their remaining AFU balance, and any sessions that exceed available funding will be billed privately to the credit card on file. Families are responsible to abide by the policies outlined in the Parent’s Handbook: Guide to Autism Programs.
You must obtain Autism Funding approval before we can direct-bill. We are unable to provide details on eligibility or how to apply. Please contact the Autism Funding Unit directly for assistance.
Apply for Autism Funding
Toll-free phone: 1-877-777-3530
Email:
How to use AFU Funding for Therapy
Step One: Choose your Therapist
Choose your Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) you would like your child to work with from our team. You are welcome to book a free consultation with any of our counsellors to get a sense of their approach and how they can best support your child.
Step Two: Submit your Request to Pay (RTP) Form
If you would like to use AFU funding, the Request to Pay (RTP) form must be completed and approved before starting therapy sessions (accessing funding). Please book an AFU intake call with our intake coordinator, who can walk you through this process and provide the required form.
Please have ready for the call:
- Access to the AFU portal through MyFamilyServices
- Your child’s full legal name, date of birth, and guardian information
- Tell us which therapist you’d like to see (feel free to brainstorm this during the call)
- Credit card information (for no-shows, late cancellations, or sessions not covered by AFU)
The Request to Pay form is downloadable below with key sections pre-filled. Complete all yellow-highlighted fields. Note: Keep ‘Service Provider Name’ as Sunward Journeys and ‘Agency Name’ as Sunward Journeys (August Brynne Wambold) exactly – using an individual therapist name may delay funding and require resubmission. Fee per hour is extrapolated to $198/per 50 minute to encompass the entire clinic, however, your family will only be charged the agreed upon rate between you and your therapist; contact us to confirm. We’re happy to review before you submit for faster approval.
Step Three: Wait for approval and begin therapy sessions
We recommend waiting until AFU funding is approved for Sunward Journeys prior to beginning therapy sessions. This usually takes 3 weeks. You may start sessions earlier if desired, but please note these will be billed as private-pay sessions to the card on file. After AFU has approved your RTP request, Let your counsellor know so that you can consent to funding and share your billing number with us. We are unfortunately unable to reimburse families who pay privately for sessions prior to AFU funding being approved.
Got any questions before booking? Connect with us below: