The Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs (OASIS) issued a media release today critical of the Ontario government hiring a consultant to look at ways to cut costs in developmental services.  Read more…

Click on link to read report:  https://bramptoncaledoncl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/OASIS-Press-Release-November-12-2019-1.pdf

Un contrat à la recherche de soumissionnaires cherche un consultant en gestion pour trouver des moyens de «rationaliser» la prestation de services à 40 000 adultes vulnérables vivant avec une déficience intellectuelle. Lire la suite…

Veuillez cliquer sur le lien pour le rapport complet:   https://globalnews.ca/news/6151901/ontario-developmental-services-cut-cost/

The provincial government’s announcement that it will create a needs-based autism plan for families in Ontario is receiving mixed reviews.

“I’m very encouraged, but I’m also cautious,” said Tara Bourgeois, of Brampton, who is the mother of an 8-year-old boy who has autism. “We’re getting a lot of talk but no action.”

After six months of protests from families over cuts to autism services, Children, Community and Social Services Minister Todd Smith announced Tuesday (July 29) the province will continue to provide continuity of service while the ministry works on a new program for autism services.

The province said it will invest an additional $278 million in Ontario’s autism program, bringing the total amount to $600 million each year.

Come January, Brampton single-father of autistic boy will have to pay over $55,000 out of his pocket to cover critical treatment.

‘Significantly impacted’: Nearly 300 ErinoakKids employees receive layoff notices due to autism funding overhaul

“Ensuring the Ontario Autism Program is needs-based will help families that require specialized care for their children,” Mississauga Centre MPP Natalia Kusendova said in a statement. “We must work together to protect the sustainability of the program so that it can support children and families today and in the future.”

However, the new program will not be in place until April 2020.

“Some of these people have been waiting two to four years,” said Bourgeois. “Many families, unfortunately, will likely be unhappy as they continue to wait for therapy. I feel their agony as I’ve been on a wait list before.”

This is an unreasonably slow time frame, according to the Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC). In the meantime, the OAC said parents are being told childhood budget cheques will continue to be issued to families on the wait-list, even though there is agreement a one-size-fits-all approach is wrong.

“It’s tidy in terms of administration,” said Bruce McIntosh, past-president of OAC. “It’s based on the province’s needs and not families.”

Although the province says there are now 25,000 families on the waiting list for services, McIntosh said there is no way to determine exactly how many families are waiting because of privacy laws.

McIntosh said some families have registered their child in different regions to expedite access to services. He’s heard of some parents who have joint custody of a child registering the child twice.

Bourgeois is fortunate her son will get an additional six months of therapy. But what happens to parents of children who have other disabilities, such as Down syndrome, asked Bourgeois? “They are left in the dust.”

In August, OAC will hold another round of protests outside MPPs’ offices. McIntosh said the message is “hurry the hell up” and get the program up and running.

291 staff at ErinoakKids Centre received notices that their positions will be affected as a result of changes to autism services.  Click here to read more

L'Arche, une organisation caritative qu'il a fondée, a déclaré que M. Vanier était décédé mardi à Paris des suites d'un cancer de la thyroïde.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/obit-jean-vanier-1.5125807

The Government of Ontario is engaging in a series of public consultations on how children and youth with autism, including those with complex needs, can be better supported.

La province a déclaré que ces consultations contribueraient à trouver des moyens de réduire les obstacles que rencontrent les enfants autistes, tout en cherchant plus précisément à améliorer le Programme ontarien de l'autisme.

Les forums de la téléconférence seront organisés par un consultant indépendant et dureront une heure. Ils seront scindés en segments où les thèmes clés de la consultation seront au centre des discussions.

Pour vous inscrire, allez à www.ontario.ca/autisme Vous serez ensuite dirigé vers une page d'inscription sur le site Eventbrite. Pour vous inscrire, vous devrez fournir votre nom, votre numéro de téléphone et votre adresse électronique. Après vous être inscrit, vous recevrez un email de confirmation à l'adresse email que vous avez fournie.