[FEAT BC Admin]

This area is for discussions in general topics.

Topic

[Anne Flynn]

EIBI is an early intensive behavioral intervention
program. It is provided by government funds and
consists of a team of people who design programs
specifically for each individual child. The team
consists of a phsychologist, speech pathologist,
occupational therapist, and two AI's (autism interventionists). The AI's provide 20 hours per week of one on one therapy with the child.

[Deleted User]

Can someone tell me what kind of program EIBI is?
Thanks so much!

[Sabrina Freeman]

RE: upcoming autism court case

As many of you know, the upcoming court case for autism treatment —
Anderson et al. vs. the BC Government (which is really an extension of Auton et al. vs. the BC Government) — is tentatively slated
for June 17th 2003. Here is detailed information for all those who would like
to watch the proceedings.

1) Court dates and times: June 17th and 18th

2) The proceedings will take place in the Supreme Court section of the
Vancouver Law Courts. The address is: 800
Smithe St., Vancouver. Parking is available underground.

3) The court is in session from 10:00 am to 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 4:00
PM. Everyone should arrive by 9:45 am to
allow enough time to settle in — it is very important that everyone is
seated and quiet by precisely 10:00 am when the
Judge enters.

4) For those of you attending the proceedings, there are a few important
court rules we need to keep in mind:

– tape recorders, cell phones and pagers are not permitted in the
courtroom.
– jeans are not permitted in the courtroom
– no comments, moans or groans are permitted. The judge may ask a person
to leave the courtroom for these reasons.
The lawyers for the crown may say things that you may vehemently disagree with.
However, it’s very important for everyone in
the courtroom to stay calm and in control.

5) The lawyers representing the parents have informed me that they will
not be available for questions during the breaks
or during lunch since they will be working on the case during this time.
The lawyers have instructed the steering committee
to take all questions anyone has regarding the case — we will make sure
they receive the questions after proceedings
conclude that day.

Children with autism receiving Lovaas Treatment are once again about to have their
day in the Supreme Court of BC. I am sure many
of you are looking forward to these legal proceedings and I very much
look forward to seeing you in the courtroom!

Sabrina

[Sabrina Freeman]

RE: upcoming autism court case

As many of you know, the upcoming court case for autism treatment —
Anderson et al. vs. the BC Government (which is really an extension of Auton et al. vs. the BC Government) — is tentatively slated
for June 17th 2003. Here is detailed information for all those who would like
to watch the proceedings.

1) Court dates and times: June 17th and 18th

2) The proceedings will take place in the Supreme Court section of the
Vancouver Law Courts. The address is: 800
Smithe St., Vancouver. Parking is available underground.

3) The court is in session from 10:00 am to 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 4:00
PM. Everyone should arrive by 9:45 am to
allow enough time to settle in — it is very important that everyone is
seated and quiet by precisely 10:00 am when the
Judge enters.

4) For those of you attending the proceedings, there are a few important
court rules we need to keep in mind:

– tape recorders, cell phones and pagers are not permitted in the
courtroom.
– jeans are not permitted in the courtroom
– no comments, moans or groans are permitted. The judge may ask a person
to leave the courtroom for these reasons.
The lawyers for the crown may say things that you may vehemently disagree with.
However, it’s very important for everyone in
the courtroom to stay calm and in control.

5) The lawyers representing the parents have informed me that they will
not be available for questions during the breaks
or during lunch since they will be working on the case during this time.
The lawyers have instructed the steering committee
to take all questions anyone has regarding the case — we will make sure
they receive the questions after proceedings
conclude that day.

Children with autism receiving Lovaas Treatment are once again about to have their
day in the Supreme Court of BC. I am sure many
of you are looking forward to these legal proceedings and I very much
look forward to seeing you in the courtroom!

Sabrina

[Alexei Trebounskikh]

An addition to the previous post:

Online Yellow Pages is a wonderful thing! :)

Dr Larsen, 604-850-2116 (in Abbotsford). A child has to be referred to him by a dentist. The waiting list is currently 2 to 4 months.

I could also schedule an appointment with PDG (Pediatric Dental Group) in Vancouver next Thursday. Well, I reckon we just have to wait and see how it goes…

Alexei

[Alexei Trebounskikh]

Hello everyone!

Could you please share with us a name of a dantist who successfully works with autistic kids?

Our son is 3.5. Thank you very much!

E-mail us at trebunskih@yahoo.com.

Alexei

To Anonimous who wrote about Dr Larson on Feb 8: could you possibly give some contact information or cues how to find him? Thank you!

[Courtney Mapson]

I am wondering if anyone in the Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam/Port Moody area is using a Speech Pathologist in conjunction with their ABA program, and would be willing to pass their contact information to us. Or, if anyone knows of a good Speech Pathologist in this area who is taking on clients. Please email me at
cpaigemapson@hotmail.com. Thanks you.

[Deleted User]

Needing advice once again…….
Income Tax and the Disability amount (T2201)
My question is should I just send in the forms to CCRA or should I invest in an accountant? Any information regarding this would be greatly apprecieated.
Thanks

[Mike & Jean]

FEAT Parent Meeting update

Hi Everyone,

Our next meeting will be on Monday, June 16th, 7:30 – 9:30pm at St. Francis in the Wood Anglican Church in West Vancouver.

The topic will be "I.E.P.'s".

Just a remionder – FEAT meetings are held on the third Monday of every month unless otherwise advised.

See you in June.

Regards, Jean

[Deleted User]

As usual, the FEAT chat is alive and well with the exchange
of opinions. I would just like to add my three cents to some
of the recent comments. As one of the posters said, I quote
from the previous conversation not to criticize, but to reply:

"but there is one thing I do know. Until our current
provincial government started the IEII program a year ago
— with all its flaws and imperfections — there was
NOTHING for ABA funding. Now there is SOMETHING. That
something is not enough for some, but it is better than
nothing. For my own part I can plainly say this: It has saved
my son."

Note 1: The current provincial government had to be
dragged kicking and screaming to do anything, and they
are still being dragged. And make no mistake that they did
anything out of concern for our kids — they did and are
doing their pitiful excuse for funding because they are still
fighting us in court, and they have to make some pretense
of complying with existing judgements — which they
haven't, of course. And you are only partially correct that it
is "not enough for some" — it is not enough for ANYONE.
They do not pay 25% of surgery for birth defects like cleft
palates, they don't pay 25% for cancer treatment, and they
have no business or excuse paying 25% for medically-
necessary, judicially-ordered autism treatment.

"it is important that we give credit where it is due. Our
current situation is better than it was 18 months ago (even
for school-age children, although barely)."

So let's give credit where credit is due — and it's due to the
families who put their last energy, time, and money into
fighting this government and the last one on behalf of all
our children. Without those parents, and especially Sabrina
and Jean, NONE of our children would be getting anything
today. Yes, even 25%.

"When people make comments like "we've hit a new low"
when in fact things are slowly but surely improving — such
changes are never fast enough for those waiting for them
— it does nothing to assist the cause. On the contrary I
believe such comments, because they are emotional but not
factual, actually undermine the credibility of those fighting
to make real gains."

I'm sorry, but that is a polyannaesque statement which I
dearly wish was true, but is actually wishful thinking. If
things are slowly improving, it is only because of parents
willing to stand up and fight — loudly, strongly, and yes,
even with hyperbole at times. It sends the government the
only message that matters — that we are not going to go
away, that we are going to fight for our children's rights no
matter how long it takes, and that we will be here come
next election, so expose their lies and discrimination
against our kids in the same way we did last time.

"In the same way that it is so painful to listen to politicians
after they have fallen from grace and been voted out, no
matter how valid their current point may be: because they
have lost their credibility."

You mean like Joy MacFail, who spit on us for years while in
power, and who is now somehow trying to weasel her way
into our good graces in hopes of becoming the next
premier? Not to worry — we'll remind the voters at the
right time about her, too.

"May God grant me the strength to change what I can, the
serenity to accept what I cannot, and the wisdom to know
the difference."

Absolutely correct. But never forget that Boss Hogg with his
electric scooter in the legislature halls would like to
convince us that we cannot change the status quo for our
kids. Of course, we know different.

Oh, and Deb, you were absolutely right — perhaps if
elephants got autism we'd get more respect.

[Author]

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