What are Monarch Essentials Skills Programs?

Monarch Essentials Skills (MES) programs are targeted, clinical streams engineered to tackle your child’s highest-stress, everyday developmental hurdles - such as communication barriers, feeding challenges, sleep routines, or toileting - without making you wait for full-scale provincial funding.

Instead of an endless, vague therapy commitment, the Essentials programs deliver concentrated, evidence-based clinical support designed to achieve measurable and meaningful relief for your entire family.

How is the program structured?

Each Essentials program is built around 12 core, 1-hour sessions delivered in-clinic or virtually by our specialized clinicians (such as Board Certified Behaviour Analysts® or Registered Behaviour Analysts), with optional telehealth follow-ups and booster sessions available post-program.

Every 60-minute session uses a highly efficient, 5-part structure to maximize both direct child learning and parent confidence:

• Check-In (10 mins): We review home practice, progress, and any daily factors affecting your child.
• Caregiver Coaching (20 mins): Clinicians train and guide you on exact strategies to use at home.
• Direct Skill Work (20 mins): One-on-one, hands-on clinical intervention with your child.
• Caregiver Debrief (10 mins): We model key techniques, connect them to your home routine, and answer questions.
• Data & Planning (10 mins): We track objective data and provide you with clear, updated home practice instructions before you walk out the door.

   

What scheduling options do we have?

We know every family’s schedule and learning pace are different. Programs can be attended in-clinic OR virtually.

You can choose between two main pacing options to complete the 12-session core program:

• Standard Pace: 1 session per week for 12 weeks. 
  • This option allows your family ample time to practice and solidify new habits at home between weekly visits.
• Intensive Pace: 2 sessions per week across 6 weeks (other intensive options are available).
  • The accelerated option is ideal for families seeking rapid breakthroughs or preparing for an upcoming transition like the school year.

How does the program adapt to my child’s specific communication level?

We meet your child exactly where they are using a progressive 3-tier clinical framework:

• Tier 1 (Foundational): For early communicators with limited functional language. We focus on introducing a reliable communication system (such as picture symbols, signs, or speech apps) and teaching essential safety skills like requesting wants and expressing "stop" or "no."
• Tier 2 (Building): For children who have basic communication tools but need to expand their vocabulary. We build their ability to comment on their environment, ask questions, express discomfort/sensory overload, and talk with various family members.
• Tier 3 (Expanding): For older children or adolescents focusing on social language (pragmatics), self-advocacy (asking for accommodations), peer interactions, and community communication skills.

Why is caregiver involvement so important in this program?

True progress doesn't stop at our clinic doors. Because direct skill work is delivered in focused segments, your active participation during the coaching and debrief portions of every session ensures you feel completely equipped to replicate these strategies at home. By modelling and practicing these skills together, you help your child generalize their learning across everyday family life.

How much does the program cost?

The standard 12 one-hour sessions Monarch Essentials Skills program is priced at $1,860.