Ottawa parents protest provincial changes to autism treatment funding
Ontario Autism Program leaving older children behind, parents say
Dozens of parents of children with autism protested outside the Ottawa officeof MPP Yasir NaqviFriday,angry at the provincial government's decision to refocus its treatment funding on children ages two to four.
But he's about to turn five,and under thenew Ontario Autism Program,that means he will no longer be eligible.
"We got a notice last week that he would be removed from the list and we're pretty disappointed, scared, and upset," said MacDonald.
New provincial funding for autism
In the March provincial budget, the Liberal governmentannounced it will provide $333 millionin autism funding over the next five years.Thatmoney will go chiefly towards IBIfor children between the ages of two and four.
Parents of children older than fivewill receive $8,000to go towardscommunity services and supports while they transition to applied behaviouralanalysis (ABA),which the province says ismore age-appropriate programming.
But another parent at the rally, TanyaCorey, says that money won't even cover two months of therapy for her son.
Still, Ontario'sMinisterof Children and Youth Services, Tracy MacCharles, believes these new efforts will reduce wait times."But more importantly, we want to get the right service for children inthe best developmental window," she said.
The new program goes into effect May 1.