PRESS RELEASE SUBMITTED TO QUINTE NEWS
On February 6th of last year the Ontario government announced disastrous changes to the Ontario Autism Program which have devastated families and professionals.
The Needs Based Funding Program which was promised to families by April 2020 is still nowhere in sight.
Parent training and workshops have recently been offered to families.
Group training such as this does not address individual needs and as such cannot be called “needs based”. Parent training can’t replace intensive therapy delivered by trained and experienced professionals.
The Ministry of Children Youth and Social Services continues to ignore the most pressing need in the autism community – the need to fully fund intensive ABA therapy. Intensive ABA therapy can be life changing for a child with autism. It helps them acquire the learning skills, social skills, self regulation and communication skills they need to function in society.
Because intensive ABA therapy is not fully funded, a significant number of autism therapy professionals have been laid off or have left the industry entirely due to a lack of stable employment and a large reduction in clients. Areas like Northern Ontario currently have no ABA therapy professionals left. This is creating a crisis of access to therapy in rural and remote areas.
Families who are currently on the wait list have been told that they will receive a one-time payment of $5000 if their child is over 5 or $20000 if their child is under 5 by the end of March 2020. This is not enough to provide meaningful therapy as intensive ABA therapy costs $60,000 to $80,000 per year.
The government’s short-sighted, misguided approach has put families in a state of crisis. Many have been on wait lists for years – only to be told that their waiting was in vain.
The Ontario Autism Program needs to reflect the priorities of the PEOPLE it is serving – The Autism Community. At the very least, the government needs to fully fund ABA therapy at a clinical level for those who need it by April of 2020. It will take a long time to rebuild the industry they have devastated, but this would be an essential and meaningful beginning.
Rally for Autism Families
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Sunday January 19th 2020 Noon-1PM
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Bell Blvd and North Front Intersection
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Contact: Sarah Daley – Mother of a Child with Autism 613-827-7265 sarah.daley73@gmail.com
