[FEAT BC Admin]

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[Mike & Jean]

I have read with interest Dr. Stainton's comments regarding Dr. Freeman's evaluation of his talk at the Autism 2002 conference.

I like many others who advocate for science based autism treatment are deeply concerned about the Transition Steering Committee's new power. Why am I concerned? Put quite simply folks – because the committee doesn't get it! They don't get the difference between respite, babysitting etc. and bonafide treatment. My child's health care dollars need to be provided by the Ministry of Health not by a veritable potpourri of special interest/special needs groups each with their own agenda. I'm sorry but I simply do not trust that the monies 'won' as a result of the Auton litigation will not become part of some huge budget pool that the committee can divide up as it sees fit.

Many of us have volunteered thousands of hours in the last five years to secure treatment for people affected with autism. Two Courts in BC have deemed ABA medically necessary treatment. I am sure the transition steering committee are well intentioned folks, but we all know where that well intentioned paved road leads to. They need to leave health care to health care professionals not the social workers.

As for Individualized Funding (IF), sorry Dr. Stainton it only appeared on the radar screen in any real way since the Auton decision, and more precisely after FEAT of BC's "Choices in Autism Treatment" brief was adopted by government under the label of IEII.

My advise for the Transition Steering Committee – don't meddle in things you don't or refuse to understand. It is my opinion that if you had the courage of your convictions you and your counterparts would resign on mass before you are further co-opted by the Liberal government's political agenda of pitting one well-intentioned advocacy group against another.

For what it is worth –

Jean Lewis

[Deleted User]

By Anonymous on Sunday, November 17, 2002 – 01:43 pm:
Hello,
I'm posting for a family who has an older son with autism
(he's in his teens. They would like to know more information re:
service providers for their son (consultants, etc). This is the right email. Thanks
Please e-mail me privately at rjmonson@earthlink.net

[Deleted User]

Hello,
I'm posting for a family who has an older son with autism
(he's in his teens. They would like to know more information re:
service providers for their son (consultants, etc).
Please e-mail me privately at rjmonson@lgcy.com

[Joan Broto]

Hello,
I'm posting for a family who has an older son with autism (he's 10). They would like to know more information re: service providers for their son (consultants, etc).
Please e-mail me privately at jabroto@telus.net
Thanks!
Joan
ABA Therapist

[Deleted User]

My two bits on contracts:

1) Contracts imply employer/employee status. I do not employ therapists — therapists are independent contractors who supply their services to my child. They bill me for those services, and I pay their bills.

2) As David said already, a piece of paper isn't worth a hill of beans in terms of enforcing some level of performance on the part of therapists — the good ones don't need it to understand the value and seriousness of what they're doing and the bad ones aren't worth having, paper or no paper. And by bad ones, I imply no personal judgement — some people are good at this, some aren't. Some are trainable, some will never "get it" no matter how much training. It's just a fact of life. There was a time I would have loved to have become a brain surgeon. I realized along the way I was never going to be a good one — training or not — so I gave it up in favor of other things I *was* good at.

3) A contract as a definition of working terms is counter-productive. A good program is constantly changing to suit the changing situation of the child. That's why we hire good consultants — to supervise the program and make careful changes where warranted. It's the therapists' job to carry out those programs under the supervision of the consultant.

4) And the final and least important kicker, but still worth mentioning — you want to have it perfectly clear for tax reasons that these people are NOT employees, lest you end up having some bureaucrat at some government department assessing you for Workers Compensation premiums, tax withholding, CPP and UIC contributions and all the rest. None of that applies to people selling you their services — only people you employ. Is the consultant your employee? Of course not. Likewise, neither are your therapists, speech paths, OTs, or any other medical professional giving your child medical treatment.

And in case anyone has been told differently by someone working for the BC government, as my mother would say, "Consider the source." The BC government has been told by courts a number of times that when it comes to our kids' treatment needs, they wouldn't recognize proper therapy if it fell on them. Their pathetic rules are designed to deny our children their rights — not to help them obtain medically necessary treatment.

Like I said, just my opinions — your mileage may vary.

[Deleted User]

I was wondering what you all thought of this type of contract. I was thinking it might be a great way to let the therapist know what they are in for and the parents can print in detail what is required to meet thier childs needs needs.

http://www.mfeat.ca/info/aba/tutors/contracts.htm

[David Chan]

Here is my two cents worth on contracts. In
principle, they are a really good idea–however,
on closer examination think about what a
contract is.

I am not a lawyer, but my take on a contract is
that is a document which has criteria that is
binding and reciprocal.

The Tx has to perform to a certain standard
and the converse of that statment is that YOU
have to maintain some "standard".

Do you as a family with a disabled child with
all that it entails want some therapist to dictate
to you, that YOU haven't provided as an
employer, the Standards that they require.

Contracts also imply some enforceable
degree of commitment. I gotta tell ya, if a
therapist isn't commited to working well with
your child, a contract isn't going to make 'em.

If your contract entails some fixed time period,
it makes it even worst, because no matter how
awful things get, you- – being the party of the
first part, have to keep them for how ever long
you have agreed.

The reality is parents want a contract because
they want some degree of quality control on
the Tx's, and so they should; but a contract
may not be the answer to the Q.C. question.

my two pennys, and still hanging in there

Dave
Mr. P's Dad

[Hetty Martin]

Does any one have contracts for thier therapists or is this unheard of?

[Hetty Martin]

Does any one have contracts for thier therapists or is this unheard of?

[Ben Martens]

Hello,

I am conducting some research on Autism, and looking for child participants who have been both diagnosed with ASD and are presently involved in an ABA program (min 5 months in ABA). Anyone interested in obtaining further information, please contact me at:

BMartens@agape.twu.ca

– Ben Martens

———————————————-

P.S. Anyone wishing to determine the legitimacy of this study, please contact Dr. Ron Philipchalk, Chair of the Psychology Department at Trinity Western University: philipch@twu.ca

[Author]

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