Referrals to the BSS Program

All referrals for Behavioural Support Services must be made through your Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) Social Worker. Referrals must include an assessment by a team of professionals, which confirms a diagnosis of Autism; Developmental Disability with Autistic Characteristics and/or Behavioural Challenges; Asperger's Syndrome; Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified; Fragile X Syndrome; Rett's Syndrome; Mucopolysaccharidoses; Tuberous Sclerosis; Phenylketonuria; Congenital Rubella Syndrome; Cornelia de Lange Syndrome or FASD and adults with PDD and FASDa who so not have intellectual disabilities.

For more information on the referal process, click on one of the following links:

Referral Information Pamphlet
Referral Form
Release of Information Authorization Form

Behavioural Support Services - Northern BC

Waitlist Consultation
Families and other “caregivers” who have been accepted onto the BSS waitlist, awaiting In Home Consultation, are encouraged to call to make Waitlist Consultation appointments, as needed. Waitlist Consultation appointments are one-hour long appointments offered as needed (maximum one hour per week). These appointments are booked on a first come first serve basis. Each appointment is one on one with a Consultant and provides an opportunity for families and other caregivers to seek support in order to address current needs, continue with programs already in place and to create materials needed for suggested strategies/programs. Topics for the Waitlist Consultation appointments are chosen entirely by the family or others booking the time.

Waitlist Consultation appointments are only booked in advance, so please call ahead to ensure the availability of the consultant. Out of town families can access Waitlist Consultation appointments via the telephone, if they are not able to travel to the community where the Waitlist Consultation appointments are being held.

In - Home Consultation
In-Home Consultation is a parent focused Behavioural Support program. The goals of In-Home Consultation are to teach the parents of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder the skills that they require to teach their children skills and to reduce inappropriate behaviours.

A family receiving In Home Consultation is offered up to 130 hours of direct time, to use over a one-year period. Once the family has used their 130 hours, or the year is up, that family is finished with the In Home Consultation component of service.

Time spent providing service to the family is considered direct time. This includes time spent conducting assessments, planning, liaising with others, creating materials, writing reports, and meeting with the family. A consultant typically meets with the family for up to 2 hours every 2 weeks. However, families can schedule appointments as it best meets their needs over the one-year period. Direct time does not include travel to and from the family’s house.

Families residing in communities outside of the Consultant’s home community will typically receive a visit from their consultant once per month. The consultant may provide several hours (2 to 6) of intensive consultation and training during each visit, so that the family continues to receive the same level of service as families within the Consultant’s home community. Regular and more frequent contact would be maintained via phone, email, and mail.

Outlying areas (i.e., Queen Charlottes, Dease Lake, Fort Nelson), that require extensive time and cost to travel to, receive In Home Consultation 2 times per year. The consultant will provide several days of intensive consultation and training. Regular and more frequent contact would be maintained via phone, email, and mail.

Follow-up Consultation
Families and other “caregivers” who have completed their year of In Home Consultation, are encouraged to call to make Follow-up Consultation appointments, as needed. Follow-up Consultation appointments are one-hour long appointments offered as needed (maximum one hour per week). These appointments are booked on a first come first serve basis. Each appointment is one on one with a Consultant and provides an opportunity for families and other caregivers to seek support in order to address current needs, continue with programs already in place and to create materials needed for suggested strategies/programs. Topics for the Follow-up Consultation appointments are chosen entirely by the family or others booking the time.

Follow-up Consultation appointments are only booked in advance, so please call ahead to ensure the availability of the consultant. Out of town families can access Follow-up Consultation appointments via the telephone, if they are not able to travel to the community where the Follow-up Consultation appointments are being held.

Library Resources
Gateway Behavioural Support in Northern B.C. offers a library of resources available to residents of Northern B.C. (Quesnel and North), with the main library housed in the Prince George office. Smaller selections are available in our outreach locations. Sensory items, printed articles, books, videos, as well as several newsletters and journals are generally available on a two-week loan basis (note: some resources are reference only). For families living outside Prince George, the items can be mailed to the borrower, however, it is the borrower’s responsibility to return the items, at their cost. For a full listing of resources available please refer to the Resource Library Listing found in this information package, contact one of our three locations or ask your consultant.

Contacts:

Prince George
Coordinator of Behavioural Support and Related Services
Michael Watt, M.A.
Telephone: 250-561-1194
Email: mwatt@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 250-561-1195

Consultant
Kelli Hill
Telephone: 250-561-1194
Email: khill@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 250-561-1195

Fort St. John
Consultant
Jodi Staples
Telephone: 250-787-9155
Email: jstaples@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 250-787-9157

Terrace
Consultant
Lisa DeSousa
Telephone: 250-787-9155
Email: ldesousa@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 250-787-9157

Behavioural Support Services - Cariboo

Waitlist Consultation
Families and other “caregivers” who have been accepted onto the BSS waitlist, awaiting In Home Consultation, are encouraged to call to make Waitlist Consultation appointments, as needed. Waitlist Consultation appointments are one-hour long appointments offered as needed (maximum one hour per week). These appointments are booked on a first come first serve basis. Each appointment is one on one with a Consultant and provides an opportunity for families and other caregivers to seek support in order to address current needs, continue with programs already in place and to create materials needed for suggested strategies/programs. Topics for the Waitlist Consultation appointments are chosen entirely by the family or others booking the time.

Waitlist Consultation appointments are only booked in advance, so please call ahead to ensure the availability of the consultant. Out of town families can access Waitlist Consultation appointments via the telephone, if they are not able to travel to the community where the Waitlist Consultation appointments are being held.

In - Home Consultation
In-Home Consultation is a parent focused Behavioural Support program. The goals of In-Home Consultation are to teach the parents of children with an Autism and other Developmental Disorders the skills that they require to teach their children skills and to reduce inappropriate behaviours.

A family receiving In Home Consultation is offered up to 130 hours of direct time, to use over a one-year period. Once the family has used their 130 hours, or the year is up, that family is finished with the In Home Consultation component of service.

Time spent providing service to the family is considered direct time. This includes time spent conducting assessments, planning, liaising with others, creating materials, writing reports, and meeting with the family. A consultant typically meets with the family for up to 2 hours every 2 weeks. However, families can schedule appointments as it best meets their needs over the one-year period. Direct time does not include travel to and from the family’s house.

Families residing in communities outside of the Consultant’s home community will typically receive a visit from their consultant once per month. The consultant may provide several hours (2 to 6) of intensive consultation and training during each visit, so that the family continues to receive the same level of service as families within the Consultant’s home community. Regular and more frequent contact would be maintained via phone, email, and mail.

Outlying areas that require extensive time and cost to travel to, receive In Home Consultation 2 times per year. The consultant will provide several days of intensive consultation and training. Regular and more frequent contact would be maintained via phone, email, and mail.

Follow-up Consultation
Families and other “caregivers” who have completed their year of In Home Consultation, are encouraged to call to make Follow-up Consultation appointments, as needed. Follow-up Consultation appointments are one-hour long appointments offered as needed (maximum one hour per week). These appointments are booked on a first come first serve basis. Each appointment is one on one with a Consultant and provides an opportunity for families and other caregivers to seek support in order to address current needs, continue with programs already in place and to create materials needed for suggested strategies/programs. Topics for the Follow-up Consultation appointments are chosen entirely by the family or others booking the time.

Follow-up Consultation appointments are only booked in advance, so please call ahead to ensure the availability of the consultant. Out of town families can access Follow-up Consultation appointments via the telephone, if they are not able to travel to the community where the Follow-up Consultation appointments are being held.

Library Resources
Gateway Behavioural Support in Northern B.C. offers a library of resources available to residents of Northern B.C. and the Cariboo, with the main library housed in the Prince George office. Smaller selections are available in our outreach locations. Sensory items, printed articles, books, videos, as well as several newsletters and journals are generally available on a two-week loan basis (note: some resources are reference only). For families living outside Prince George, the items can be mailed to the borrower, however, it is the borrower’s responsibility to return the items, at their cost. For a full listing of resources available please refer to the Resource Library Listing found in this information package, contact one of our three locations or ask your consultant.

Contacts:

Prince George
Coordinator of Behavioural Support and Related Services
Michael Watt, M.A.
Telephone: 250-561-1194
Email: mwatt@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 250-561-1195

Williams Lake/100 Mile House
Consultant
Casey Derbyshire
Telephone:
Email: cderbyshire@gatewaysociety.org
Fax:

Behavioural Support Services - Lower Mainland

Gateway Behavioural Support Services in the lower mainland covers the areas from the North Shore to Abbotsford and other areas on an outreach basis. Our main office is located in Ladner.

In Home Consultation:
Services provided in the lower mainland include in-home consultation. Families receive services for approximately 1 year to a maximum of 120 hours, or as determined by your CLBC Facilitator. During in-home consultations, consultants work with the family and other caregivers to assess the child and develop strategies and programs specific to the family's needs. The focus of in-home consultation is to provide the family with teaching and training, so that they are able to manage their child’s behaviour. Consultants also liaise with other caregivers, schools, daycares and other professionals.

Library & Therapeutic Equipment:
Gateway Society Behavioural Support Services in the lower mainland offers resources to anyone in the south. A reference library and therapeutic equipment are housed at the Ladner office.

For a full listing of resources and therapeutic equipment available, please contact our Ladner office or speak to a consultant in your area.

Contacts:

Lower Mainland
Lower Mainland Coordinator of Behavioural Support and Related Services
Goldean Lowe
Telephone: 604-940-0057
Email: glowe@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 604-940-0227

Consultant
Gail King
Telephone: 604-940-0057
Email: gking@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 604-940-0227

Consultant
Peter Shipley
Telephone: 604-940-0057
Email: pshipley@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 604-940-0227

Consultant
Maricel Villanueva
Telephone: 604-940-0057
Email: mvillanueva@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 604-940-0227

Consultant
Jenna Macleod
Telephone: 604-940-0057
Email: jmacleod@gatewaysociety.org
Fax: 604-940-0227