A service provider speaks out

Today a service provider came out publicly against these OAP changes. I highly recommend reading their entire piece: Kinark Response to Government of Ontario Autism Program Changes.

Of particular interesting is their list of reasons, which are aligned with what parents are worried about: the one-size-fits-all nature of the program, the lack of information, and pushing kids into schools, without supports:

the level of funding to families will be insufficient for children with ASD, and particularly for those children with moderate to severe ASD, and/or with other complex needs, who require individualized intensive therapies;

the revised program has no mechanisms to consider individual clinical needs of children in a way that provides long-term and sustainable outcomes for children;

it may be difficult for families to find and afford services appropriate for their children;

children finishing intensive behavioural plans may be entering into the school system without appropriate transitional and navigational supports;

without appropriate supports and transitions, some children could lose important clinical gains; and

some services for children with ASD should be universal and access to those supports should not be restricted based on a family’s financial means.

This is a poorly designed program that’s both bad for kids and bad for taxpayers.

I’m delighted that Kinark spoke out and echoed parental concerns! The government clearly isn’t listening to parents… perhaps they’ll listen to service providers.