Families lose months contacting the wrong door. A parent calls three neuropsychologists for a 2-year-old, waits on a child psychiatrist for something a CLSC could have started, or expects the daycare's special educator to "give the diagnosis". This page sorts the titles you will hear in Quebec into three questions: who can sign, who assesses a piece, who supports.
Who can sign an autism diagnosis in Quebec
Two professions: physicians and psychologists. The Fédération québécoise de l'autisme states that physicians and psychologists can conclude that an autism spectrum disorder is present, often working with a multidisciplinary team. Autisme Montréal puts it as psychiatrists and specialized psychologists. official A neuropsychologist is a psychologist with extra training, so they count. A speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist does not sign the diagnosis, however expert they are.
That single fact answers most "which door" questions. If you need the diagnosis, you need a physician or a psychologist. Everyone else is the team around them or the support after.
The table
| Title (French) | What they do for your child | Can they diagnose autism? | Public or private | Knock here when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family doctor or pediatrician (médecin de famille, pédiatre) | First conversation, developmental check, referral to CLSC and hospital | Yes, in principle; most refer to a specialized team | Public (RAMQ) | First. You need the referral documented. |
| Developmental pediatrician (pédiatre du développement) | Medical assessment of development, co-occurring conditions, sometimes leads the team | Yes | Mostly public, long waits | The hospital team assigns them; you rarely choose. |
| Child psychiatrist (pédopsychiatre) | Diagnosis, medication for co-occurring conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, sleep | Yes | Public, some private | Complex picture, older child, medication questions. |
| Psychologist (psychologue) | Autism assessment with standardized tools, report, recommendations; some do therapy | Yes | Public (hospital, CLSC) and private | Most private assessments. Ask about early-childhood experience. |
| Neuropsychologist (neuropsychologue) | Same as above plus cognitive testing: attention, memory, reasoning, learning | Yes | Mostly private, some hospital | School-age, ADHD or learning questions, mixed profile. |
| Speech-language pathologist (orthophoniste) | Language, social communication, AAC, feeding | No, contributes to the assessment | CLSC, hospital, CPE consultants, private | Any language or communication concern. Start early. |
| Occupational therapist (ergothérapeute) | Sensory processing, motor skills, daily routines, play | No, contributes | CLSC, CIUSSS rehab, private | Sensory, feeding, dressing, sleep-routine challenges. |
| Psychoeducator (psychoéducateur) | Behaviour and adaptation in daily settings, parent coaching, routines | No | CLSC, CIUSSS, school, private | Meltdowns, transitions, daycare or home routines. |
| Special education technician (TES, technicien en éducation spécialisée) | Hands-on support in CPE or class, visual schedules, applying the plan | No | CPE, school | The person beside your child every day. Ask what they need from you. |
| Social worker (travailleur social) | Navigation, family support, respite, Family Support Program, forms | No | CLSC, CIUSSS | Money, respite, paperwork, feeling lost. Often your case manager. |
Public wait times differ wildly across these doors. Autisme Montréal reports 6 to 24 months for public hospital autism assessment. official The CLSC's own services (Agir tôt, early stimulation, SLP or OT screening) usually move faster than the diagnostic hospital queue, and do not wait for the label. See Waiting is not wait-and-see.
Which door first, by situation
Child under 3, you are worried, no referral yet. Family doctor or pediatrician for the referral, CLSC the same week for Agir tôt. Do not start with a neuropsychologist; a psychologist experienced with toddlers is the right private option if you go that way.
Referral made, waiting. CLSC social worker or intake nurse becomes your most useful contact. Ask them to name your case manager. Add an SLP if language is the main worry, an OT if sensory or feeding is.
Report in hand. The CLSC or CIUSSS access desk (guichet d'accès DI-TSA-DP) for specialized services, the CPE director for support in the room, and at age 4 or 5 the school's direction for the plan d'intervention. See Agir tôt, CLSC, CPE and school.
Forms. For the Retraite Québec Supplement for Handicapped Children, the professional's part is completed by "the professional (physician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, etc.) who has assessed or treated your child and is most familiar with the child's condition". For the federal Disability Tax Credit, medical doctors and nurse practitioners can certify any category, and psychologists can certify mental functions. official So the person who knows your child best, not the most senior title, is the one to ask.
What each professional needs from you
- A dated one-page summary: what you see, since when, what helps. Bring it to every door.
- Videos on your phone of the thing you cannot describe in words.
- The daycare's observations, in writing if possible.
- Your questions, written down. See What to say to your doctor.
A note on private titles
Private clinics advertise "consultants", "coaches", "behaviour specialists" and "interventionists". Those are not protected titles in Quebec. The protected ones on the table above belong to professional orders you can look up: the Ordre des psychologues, the Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes, the Ordre des ergothérapeutes, the Ordre des psychoéducateurs. If someone offers to "assess" your child, ask which order they belong to and whether their report will be accepted by the CLSC, the school and Retraite Québec.
This week
- Write the one-page summary and save it on your phone.
- Identify which door your family actually needs next: referral, CLSC services, CPE support, or forms.
- If you are calling a private professional, ask "Which order are you a member of, and will your report be accepted by the CLSC and the school?"
Sources
- Diagnostic et premières démarches — Fédération québécoise de l'autisme, accessed 2026
- How to get a diagnosis — Autisme Montréal, accessed 2026
- Frequently asked questions, ID-ASD-PD — CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, accessed 2026
- Supplement for Handicapped Children — Gouvernement du Québec, updated 2024
- How to apply for the Disability Tax Credit — Canada Revenue Agency, accessed 2026
- Parcours scolaire d'un enfant handicapé, guide pour les parents (PDF) — Office des personnes handicapées du Québec, 2025
- Autism supports and services — Public Health Agency of Canada, accessed 2026