The Mental Health Needs of Autistic Youth in Remote Areas of Ontario, Canada: Clinicians’ Perspectives

Children and youth in remote regions can struggle to receive appropriate mental health care. Many researchers have also highlighted the challenges encountered by autistic youth and their caregivers when seeking services in rural communities, but little is known specifically regarding autistic clients with co-occurring mental health needs. To better understand potential barriers to care in remote regions, publicly funded mental health providers (N = 611) completed an online survey. We compared providers from remote, accessible, and easily accessible regions of Ontario on their knowledge, confidence, and experiences when treating autistic clients with mental health needs. Overall, providers from remote regions were more likely to report barriers to care, particularly in terms of the availability of services, compared to clinicians from more accessible regions. These results highlight the need for additional resources in remote regions and have implications for policies and programs aimed at recruiting specialized health providers to these communities.