London parents say updated autism program falls short

Parents of children with autism say the recent announcement of changes to the province's autism programare a step in the right direction, but they aren'tsufficient.

Children, Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeodannounced last week that theredesigned autism program will cost at least $600 million a year, double originallyearmarked.

• Ontario's redesigned autism program will cost about $300M more than current budget

She said shewould eliminateincome testing and provideadditional services, such as speech and occupational therapy.MacLeod said she will also explore how best to provide additional supports based on diagnosed needs, something that parents are waiting for clarification.

The cost of autism therapy

"We're still very frustrated," saidSarah Farrants,mother of three-year-old Mason, who requires full-time therapy.

Farrants says her son remains on a waiting list to get thetherapy he needs. She recently receiveda fee-for-service model from a regional provider with pricesthat would take effect next month.

The government still plans to provide $20,000 a year for kids on the spectrum who are under six and $5,000 for kids over six, something parents say isn't enough.

"For Mason, full-time therapy for three months is $23,000," she said. "For three months of therapy, we're already $3,000 over the annual budget."

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A full year of treatment would cost $92,000, leaving parents on the hook for $72,000. Parents with children over six would have to pay $87,000 out of pocket to coverfull-time therapy.

"They still have theage discrimination," said Farrants. "Austism doesn't end at five, it doesn't end at six, it doesn't end at 18. Autistic children become autistic adults."

Autism and education

Brandi Tapp has a five-year-old son named Henry who has severe autism. He'scurrently receiving treatment, but Tappsays that willrun out shortly.

Henry is enrolled in senior kindergarten and requires full-timesupport.

• Principals fear schools not ready to cope with autism program changes

"There are so many vague things about this plan and things aren't clear," she said.

"Thenwe combine it with the new cuts to the education system, which is threatening the hiring and the maintaining of educational assistants (EA). That's the only reason Henry can go to school because he has an EA who is amazing with him."

Tapp says her son is at risk of losing all of his support in school and he has essentially lost all of his supporting community.

"No one is happy with this, it's not reasonable, it's not an improvement," she said.

Tappsays she received a quote for therapy services for Henry that would cost her family $98,000 a year.

"We're considering selling our house at this point," she said.

The Ontario Autism Program is coming into effect on April 1.