Press Release
May 2, 2007
Yesterday a motion by Senator Art Eggleton, the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, was introduced in the Senate requesting the federal government provide a “complete and detailed response” to the recommendations in its report titled “Pay Now or Pay Later: Autism Families in Crisis” which was tabled in the Senate on March 29, 2007. The Ministers of Health, Finance, National Revenue, and Intergovernmental Affairs are designated as responsible for providing the government response.
The Senate Committee’s report recognized an autism crisis in
“The facts speak for themselves. Recently the U.S. Centres for Disease Control (CDC) reported that the prevalence rate has reached 1 in every 150 children being diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). To many people this is not just a crisis, but an epidemic. Yet, not one province offers autism treatment under Medicare. Similarly, many children with autism are not being properly taught in the public education system. The autism initiatives that Health Minister Clement announced on November 21, 2006, including the creation of a website and the holding of a future symposium, demonstrate a lack of willingness to take urgently-needed action. This is in sharp contrast to the
“The Senate was absolutely correct when it reported that there was an autism crisis in
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For more Information, contact
Cindy DeCarlo
(705) 737-0417 advocate.4kids@sympatico.ca
Sam Yassine
(613) 229-4444 autism_yassine@rogers.com
The
Backgrounder
Our
Improving the lives of children and youth affected by autism. To provide factual information in a non-partisan approach to all stakeholders.
Our Vision
Ensuring that Canadian children and youth with autism reach their full potential by advocating and lobbying for timely diagnosis, assessment, access to evidence based therapy and services.
Objectives
1) Implement the recommendations from the Autism Reference Group Report February 2007 “From Evidence to Action” to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Children and Youth Services.
2) Direct Funding Option/Direct Service Option choice for Autism Intervention Program with no waiting lists and seamless transition to similar programming in school boards for children who require ongoing support.
3) Standard certification for service providers with a regulatory body for behaviour analysts and therapists. Increasing the number of child psychologists to work with children and youth with autism.
4) Continuum of Government funded services and programs. Specialized services such as speech and occupational therapy need to be delivered in a timely manner. Programs such as Special Services at Home and Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities need to support all families with autism and give clear guidelines for their key elements of administration.
5) Creation of National Autism Strategy that would include Federal-Provincial partnerships to ensure adequate resources and standards to provide Canadians with timely diagnosis, assessments, treatments, supports, and research.
We are presently developing our email list. If you wish to have more information about our group or would like to join our free email list, please contact us at autism_yassine@rogers.com
The autism community needs us all working together for their future!
Sincerely,
Cindy DeCarlo,
Trish Kitching,
John McVicar,
Sam Yassine,
The