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The Ontario Autism Program has been a mess for years.
It’s looking like progress is finally being made, but there are still concerns about what’s being presented.
Let’s evaluate.
@ToddSmithPC @AmyFeePC @JR_Ottawa @fordnation
#onpoli
1/12 https://link.medium.com/YbSsGLubPdb
The Ontario Autism Program has been a mess for years.
It’s looking like progress is finally being made, but there are still concerns about what’s being presented.
Let’s evaluate.
@ToddSmithPC @AmyFeePC @JR_Ottawa @fordnation
#onpoli
1/12 https://link.medium.com/YbSsGLubPdb
@ToddSmithPC finally made an announcement last week that core services were coming, but it left more questions than it did answers.
2/12 https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-parents-say-ford-government-s-new-autism-program-is-not-needs-based-1.5295388
2/12 https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-parents-say-ford-government-s-new-autism-program-is-not-needs-based-1.5295388
Why the age caps?
Why the minimums?
How does this need determination tool even work?
Why aren’t clinicians more involved?
What qualifies a care coordinator to assign funding amounts?
Is that needs-based?
Is there an appeal process?
How long is this going to take?
3/12
Why the minimums?
How does this need determination tool even work?
Why aren’t clinicians more involved?
What qualifies a care coordinator to assign funding amounts?
Is that needs-based?
Is there an appeal process?
How long is this going to take?
3/12
We know the @coteau OAP had its issues.
The waitlist was getting too long.
It wasn’t properly funded.
There weren’t enough limits, and the system was being taken advantage of.
Too few were getting support.
Something had to give.
4/12 https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/ontario-restores-autism-funding-following-backlash-1.2964972
The waitlist was getting too long.
It wasn’t properly funded.
There weren’t enough limits, and the system was being taken advantage of.
Too few were getting support.
Something had to give.
4/12 https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/ontario-restores-autism-funding-following-backlash-1.2964972
I think almost everyone agrees that @MacLeodLisa made things MUCH worse.
Her Childhood Budget scheme was never going to work.
It was wasteful.
It prevented most from getting meaningful therapy.
It was NOT needs-based.
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/minister-lisa-macleod-confronted-by-parents-furious-over-autism-funding-changes-1.4289126
5/12
Her Childhood Budget scheme was never going to work.
It was wasteful.
It prevented most from getting meaningful therapy.
It was NOT needs-based.
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/minister-lisa-macleod-confronted-by-parents-furious-over-autism-funding-changes-1.4289126
5/12
The only positive that came from @MacLeodLisa’s short tenure as minister was the increased budget.
With more money, it’s possible to help more kids at once .. but only if you spend it.
We know that @ChildrenON has been chronically UNDERspending.
6/12 https://link.medium.com/q8ucNgsgPdb
With more money, it’s possible to help more kids at once .. but only if you spend it.
We know that @ChildrenON has been chronically UNDERspending.
6/12 https://link.medium.com/q8ucNgsgPdb
The OAP Advisory Panel report provided a path forward.
It showed how #NeedsBasedTherapy was possible to achieve, while also making the program sustainable.
7/12 https://link.medium.com/DaYQVAJgPdb
It showed how #NeedsBasedTherapy was possible to achieve, while also making the program sustainable.
7/12 https://link.medium.com/DaYQVAJgPdb
Intensity/duration caps were discussed in the report.
NOT age caps.
It’s reasonable to place limits, but AGE shouldn’t be the limiting factor.
That’s not a needs-based approach.
8/12
NOT age caps.
It’s reasonable to place limits, but AGE shouldn’t be the limiting factor.
That’s not a needs-based approach.
8/12
The determination of need process is a major concern.
@ToddSmithPC wants to put all the power into the hands of a Care Coordinator to assign funding.
A clinician needs to be more involved if we want to ensure needs can actually be met.
9/12
@ToddSmithPC wants to put all the power into the hands of a Care Coordinator to assign funding.
A clinician needs to be more involved if we want to ensure needs can actually be met.
9/12
If the funding allotment is disputed, there needs to be a mechanism to appeal the decision.
Clinical assessment of an autistic child should be weighed HIGHER than the button-clicking of a bureaucrat.
Having a dispute mechanism in place could give families piece of mind.
10/12
Clinical assessment of an autistic child should be weighed HIGHER than the button-clicking of a bureaucrat.
Having a dispute mechanism in place could give families piece of mind.
10/12
When @ToddSmithPC says no government has gotten this right - he’s not wrong.
If @ONgov wants to finally fix this thing, it’s time to address the reasonable concerns that parents have.
11/12
If @ONgov wants to finally fix this thing, it’s time to address the reasonable concerns that parents have.
11/12
With a $600 million budget, a proper needs-assessment, reasonable controls, and therapeutic options, the autism program could finally be something that actually works.
Time to get this done.
@ToddSmithPC @AmyFeePC @JR_Ottawa @fordnation
#AutismDoesntEndAtFord
#onpoli
12/12
Time to get this done.
@ToddSmithPC @AmyFeePC @JR_Ottawa @fordnation
#AutismDoesntEndAtFord
#onpoli
12/12
