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[bsharpe]

The February edition of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment newsletter is here!

https://mailchi.mp/asatonline/science-in-autism-treatment_2020_02?e=aa6469092a

Meet ASAT’s newest Board member, Dr. Laura Grow.  An article “The Many Harmful Faces of Pseudoscience” will educate you on the media and misinformation about autism treatment.

“Expanding Interests for Children with autism” , and “What is a Good Way to Teach Social Skills in a Group” – great articles for those who are running programs for children with autism.

Sign up for ASAT’s free monthly newsletter at http://www.asatonline.org/newsletter/    ASAT:  Real Science, Real Hope.

[bsharpe]

Hello everyone!

It is with great pleasure that I encourage everyone in the Autism community to read Andrew Kavchak’s book: “The Fight for Autism Treatment in Canada -Reflections of a Parent Activist”

The book is available as a eBook and paperback at amazon (free to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited).

https://www.amazon.ca/Fight-Autism-Treatment-Canada-Reflections-ebook/dp/B084FHY8BF/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1581090014&sr=8-1

This book chronicles the struggle for Medicare for Autism Now, and is recommended reading for everyone in the Autism community.

Beverley Sharpe

Director,  FEATBC

[Stella Li]

Autism BC Burnaby Community Group:

“Transition from the Front Lines – Navigation and Lived Experiences” (panel presentation and Q&A)

Date: Friday January 31, 2020

Time: 9:45am-12:15pm

Place: Studio, #303 – 3701 East Hastings, Burnaby

 

In this workshop, we will have a panel presentation on different organizations’ role in helping young people move towards adulthood from all the speakers, plus some of their own experiences, followed by Q & A.

 

Speakers:

Julian Wilson and Meaghen Taylor-Reid: Navigators, Services to Adults with Developmental Disabilities (STADD) under Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD)

Monique Nelson: Director of Community Engagement, posAbiliites (Monique is also a parent of a teenaged son on the spectrum)

Rachel Goddyn: Family Services Consultant, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI) (Rachel is also a parent of a neuro-diverse adult child)

 

Joette Heuft from Square Peg Society will briefly introduce her group for adults.

 

There will be a Facebook Live session (go to AutismBC Facebook page)  from 10am for those cannot attend in person.

 

Coffee/tea and refreshments will be provided.

 

RSVP to Stella shui@autismbc.ca ASAP, before Jan 24.  Space is limited.

[bsharpe]

Hello everyone!

Here is the newsletter for this month from The Association for Science in Autism Treatment – ASAT.

https://mailchi.mp/asatonline/science-in-autism-treatment_2019_11

A must-read article on the flippant use of the word “therapy” in autism treatment.  ASAT is committed to Real Science, Real Hope.

In this installment of From the Archives, we are sharing a 2012 article:” Underwater Basket Weaving Therapy for Autism: Don’t Laugh, It Could Happen”  in which Dr. David Celiberti and Denise Lorelli shed light on the current state of the word “therapy” in autism treatment. While numerous “therapies” for autism are advertised and sold to vulnerable consumers, the vast majority of them lack scientific support, relying primarily on testimonial accounts and unsupported claims of efficacy. This ultimately puts individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at risk of harm. In the article, the reader will find an in-depth look at the word “therapy”, some common assumptions that may be made by providers and consumers when considering different therapies for individuals with ASD, and questions to ask when deciding whether a “therapy” truly holds any therapeutic value. –Brizida Vinjau, MS, BCBA, Managing Editor

[bsharpe]

Hello everyone!

Check out the latest edition of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment newsletter:

https://mailchi.mp/asatonline/science-in-autism-treatment_2019_10?e=aa6469092a

In this edition you will find an article on Teaching Complex Verbal Operants to Children With Autism using the PEAK (Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge) curriculum.

Also, this month is Bullying Prevention Month.  This edition has the article:  Annotated Resources: Bullying.  A must-read for parents of children with autism in the school system.

This is a free publication, sign up now for up to date information, assessment of the latest claims for autism treatment and up to date information on clinical studies.  ASAT:  real science, real hope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike & Jean]

 

Who is driving the Canadian “autism policy bus”?

 

“How we care for the most vulnerable in society is very important.”

So said Justin Trudeau in February, 2016. Later that same year, delegates to the Liberal Party of Canada’s national convention passed a “priority health-care policy resolution” calling for federal funding for medically-necessary autism treatment (ABA/IBI). Today in Canada there are over 500,000 people on the autism spectrum, almost 60% of whom have moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and up to 50% are non-verbal. And yet, there’s not word one in the Liberal’s policy platform for this election about autism. Why not?

 

What do the Conservatives have to say?

Late in this campaign, on behalf of the party, an obscure back-bencher from Alberta released a statement that acknowledges the high cost of evidence-based therapies and yet makes no provision for funding medically-necessary treatment. Instead, it makes a lame commitment to five more years of consultations with a price tag of 50 million taxpayer dollars. Why did Andrew Scheer not make this announcement? Aren’t Canadians living with autism worthy of his attention?

 

It is now time for Canadians to know what the Conservative Party deputy leader, Lisa Raitt, has to say on this subject.  While a candidate in the 2008 federal election, and as re-affirmed in July of this year, Ms. Raitt said, “I believe whole-heartedly in public medicare funding for applied behavior analysis and intensive behavior intervention. As a mom, this is one public policy issue about which I feel particularly strongly. It is something I would support publicly, and I would be a strong voice in government advocating for special-need kids. In my opinion, the current lack of funding, in every province, for this kind of effective therapy is a glaring gap in the promise of universal health insurance. And it treats kids with neurological challenges differently than kids with physical challenges. That’s not fair or right.”

 

This is exactly what Canadians living with autism and their families need! So, Lisa – where is your “strong voice” now regarding your party’s grossly inadequate proposal?

 

The Liberals are silent. The Conservatives want to spend 5 more years and $50 million consulting with, among others, “autistic individuals”. Really, which ones? Certainly not the up to 50% who are non-verbal or the almost 60% with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities.

 

Who is driving the Canadian “autism policy bus”? Is it a small percentage of people mildly affected by autism, who are verbally competent? If so, why? In addition, is it a group of “self-diagnosed” individuals? How is “self-diagnosis” even legitimate?  Why isn’t medical science at the centre of these policy consultations? Nowhere in the Conservative proposal for consultations are the medical or scientific communities listed.

 

Contrast our country’s dismal reality with the United States where recently the 50^th and final state requires health-care insurers to include coverage for ABA/IBI in their policies.

In addition the US federal administration has committed a further $1.8 billion to support research and treatment initiatives.

 

If the people we elect will not do the right thing for Canadians living with moderate to severe autism, who will? Sadly, Canadian families/supporters have learned that the only progress made to date has been ordered by the courts. The Auton case (2000) was ground-breaking. It appears more litigation is on the way.

It’s grotesque that the most vulnerable Canadians have to turn to the courts in order to get health-care. So be it.

 

-30-

 

For more information, contact: info@medicareforautismnow.org

http://www.medicareforautismnow.org

 

 

 

 

 

[bsharpe]

Thank you to Andrew Kavchak, Jamie Peddle, and Sarah Ruth.  You are all parents of children with autism who organized and held a Press Conference and a Rally on Parliament Hill.

As parents of children with autism, you juggled childcare, work schedules, sleep schedules, and filled up your gas tanks several times to drive to Ottawa for this rally.  Jamie drove from Brampton, Ontario and Sarah drove up from Buffalo, New York.  Andrew lives in Ottawa.  Andrew coordinated with Jamie and Sarah for the Press Conference speeches, rented the sound equipment and, along with Jamie, did the outreach to the reporters, newspapers and news agencies.

These three parents presented spoke with clarity, presented the facts with passion and focussed on the singular message:  We need Medicare for Autism Now.   They packed a one-two-three punch not only for their own children, but for every child in Canada who has autism.

On behalf of FEATBC, thank you.

Beverley Sharpe

[bsharpe]

OTTAWA AREA PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, THERAPISTS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AUNTS AND UNCLES , FRIENDS, NEIGHBOURS AND EVERYONE WHO CARES ABOUT AUTISM TREATMENT BEING COVERED BY MEDICARE: WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION THIS FRIDAY,  OCTOBER 11th ,  at   12  NOON.

The autism community is holding a rally on Parliament Hill to call for Medicare coverage to be extended to autism treatment and to include that as a core element of a National Autism Strategy.

Way to go Jamie Peddle and Andrew Kavchak for organizing this and getting the word out in the media!!!

https://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/9618545-brampton-father-of-autistic-boy-reschedules-rally-on-parliament-hill/

Please distribute and help us spread the news to get as large a crowd as possible. Bring your signs and join the autism community on Parliament Hill on Friday, October 11 at 12 noon.

https://www.facebook.com/events/672750819888529/

[bsharpe]

Hi everyone,

Here is the September newsletter from ASAT.  It was incorrectly put at the bottom of my prior post.  Sorry about that!

Here it is:

https://mailchi.mp/asatonline/science-in-autism-treatment_2019_09b?e=aa6469092a

[bsharpe]

Hello everyone,

It is September and here is the monthly newsletter from the Association for Science in Autism Treatment – ASAT.

This newsletter features an interview with Jane McCready, campaign founder for ABAAccess for All in the UK.

Jane’s story, the struggle to access funding, and helping other families advocate for their child are parallels to many of the stories our readership share.  With focus and persistence, Moms and Dads around the world are securing autism treatment dollars for their children, and paving the way for others to receive science-based ABA treatment.

Right now, Canada has zero autism treatment covered under Medicare.  In Canada, we need Medicare for Autism Now.

Another article, “Preparing Adults with Autism for Employment Success” written by Autism New Jersey and reprinted with permission, a must-read for students transitioning from High School to adult life where having employment is a goal.

The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) is a small, non-profit, organization with a single part time position and a 100% volunteer Board.  Dr. Sabrina Freeman, founder of FEATBC, is a Board Member.

Please visit http://www.asatonline.org/newsletter.  You can sign up in a matter of seconds to receive this free publication.

ASAT’s mission is to help families and service providers receive accurate information about treatments for autism that are science-based.  This organization also combats inaccurate and unsubstantiated claims.

Every child deserves to reach their fullest potential.  Science-based autism treatment will help them achieve this goal.

 

 

 

https://mailchi.mp/asatonline/science-in-autism-treatment_2019_09b?e=aa6469092a

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