[FEAT BC Admin]

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[Deleted User]

Dear Anonymous…. I totally agree with your post! I hope that your post will encourage people to stop and think about what they are doing. There is a place for both types of organisations… and it should remain so.

[Deleted User]

I agree that ASBC needs to work with the board that has been elected, I disagree with your methods Barbara. You are doing the exact same thing that you are accusing a parent from ASBC of doing…. And the very thing that parents who do not believe in ABA are afraid of…. That ASBC will be an extension of FEAT-BC. ASBC has offered materials on ABA for years and even suggested it to me more than 6 years ago. I feel that ABA has its place but that it was not something I felt was in the best interest for my son. I think that we have to work together both ASBC and FEAT-BC so that all methods are represented. I made up my own "program" for my son that works for him but I would not dare suggest that all autistic children should be on it. Each child is an individual and therefore should have an individualized program based on their needs. My son needed a lot of speech therapy and when he was able to communicate his needs, his autistic behaviour decreased. As to the letter that was written requesting signatures, it was not from a "disgruntled employee". The person left ASBC to work with her son… I felt that her concerns were outrageous but after reading your posting, I now feel that maybe she is right and I should sign the petition.

[Deleted User]

Just a reminder that there is a FEAT meeting tomorrow night (wednesday) at 7:30 at St Francis in the Woods in West Vancouver.

The topic will be the IEII program: who qualifies, how to get started and all the technical details on receiving your money including WCB issues and setting up your accounts. The meeting will be led by myself (Michelle). I have two children in ABA programs, one for 2 years and one for 1.5 years. Both of our children are participating in the IEII program.

This meeting is particularly of interest for parents just beginning their program through the IEII funding option. However we welcome all parents to attend even if your questions do not pertain to IEII.

[Barbara Rodrigues]

Hi Dave:

Thanks for the offer to help that would be great! If this petition goes through then a AGM will be held – this is where you and the other members are needed. You will have to attend the meeting and be sure our children's voices are heard via your voting power. Unfortunately, you have to attend the meeting in person so it's a bit more of hassel.

Another thing is that you have to have been a member of the ASBC for 30 days in order to vote so that's why it's important for those who aren't members to sign up quickly. As this will all come down very shortly.

To anonymous thank you for your post – to the families of the lawsuit – of course, please excuse the oversight in mentioning you all – we are certainly indebted to each and every one of you for your efforts – both for the past and in the preceding future. I know for many of you – the cost of the lawsuit was a huge commitment and many have benefited directly from your sacrifices while many of your children continue to be denied treatment.

In light of this – let's all keep doing whatever we can to fight for change/funding for all our children – regardless of age.

Barbara
Jeremy's Mom

[Deleted User]

Barbara, terrific post! It is well worth noting that none of the "good" happening today would have come to pass if it were not for the 30 dedicated and self-sacrificing families who 'put their money where their mouth's are".

FEAT supporters should indeed ensure that they are members of the ASBC so that any attempt to change the composition of the ASBC Board is prevented. We need to sign up ASAP as one needs to be a member now for 30 days prior to an AGM to be able to vote.

[David Bridges]

Yay, Barb!

I am an ASBC member. Let me know what I can do to help turn this formerly useless cow into a real asset for families like ours.

Dave

[Barbara Rodrigues]

Dear FEAT members:

The following email came to me and I must share it with you. It is of great concern and very disturbing:

"Dear friends of ASBC, (Autism Society of BC)

I am writing you because I have been asked to contact people I know to see if you would be
interested in signing the attached requisition calling for an election of a new board of ASBC. We need 10% of the current membership in order to have this pass in accordance with the Societies Act. We need your support. Please don’t contact the ASBC office about this as the staff are not involved or informed of this as it would put them in a conflict of interest.

Apparently the AGM held on June 1, 2002 was very ugly. The net result was that the moderate
board of ASBC was overturned by a board dominated by extreme members of FEAT. As you may
know, they have long been opposed to ASBC’s policy of supplying members with a wide range of
information on autism issues and treatment. Instead they insist that Applied Behaviour Analysis(ABA)/Lovaas is the only credible treatment and that ASBC should limit the information it provides.

Events at the AGM were as follows:

Despite the fact that FEAT already had two members on the board of ASBC, elected June 2001, and had two more candidates on the slate, a significant number of FEAT members arrived at the AGM, signed on as members of ASBC and proceeded to nominate each other from the floor, with the support of FEAT aligned board members of ASBC.

The constitution of ASBC until a new one came into effect on June 10, 2002, gave the
organization no protection again stacking the AGM with instant members.

When board and staff balked at the turn of events, they were threatened with legal action and,in the case of staff, with dismissal. Staff were visibly shaken at being screamed at and
threatened by a member of the ASBC board.

FEAT had not been denied a significant representation on the board, 4 out of 15 members, if the slate had been elected as put forward. However, the events of the 1st would lead to no other conclusion then that these FEAT members don’t want input, they want control. This
would indicate that the new board plans a radical departure from ASBC’s tradition of
accommodating the wide range of perspectives within the society.

The purpose of this requisition is to hold a new General Meeting to debate the issues in a reasonable manner, in order to give the membership of ASBC the opportunity to decide on whether they wish to limit the type of information available from the society.

It is my fear that if ASBC loses its commitment to advocate for all its membership, that we will lose a tremendous asset for our families. I also believe that government funding will be lost because ASBC’s contract specifies that we provide information and support for families.

Many of us don’t really need the services of ASBC any longer, but think of the many families just reeling from a new diagnosis. They need ASBC.

Time is of the essence in this matter, if you can support this, please sign the attached
requisition and return it by July 10. You can reach me on xxx-xxx-xxxx if you have any
questions. In order to qualify to sign this requisition, a person must have been a member
of ASBC for at least 30 days."

It is my understanding that this eamail if from a former disgruntled employee of the ASBC. While I can not imagine what any FEAT board member could have done to warrent this type of assault, I feel I must respond to the above letter.

First, ha! extreme FEAT members insisting that ABA is the only crediable treatment for autism – well, let's see that's what the court said too in Auton 2000! That is also what the MCFD now states in their policies and best practices. In fact, we all know if it wasn't for FEAT of BC – no one would be getting any individualized funding. For the ASBC certainly did not do one thing to help in that regard. Why I remember that an ASBC member went so far as to go on the radio and say that kids with autism needed 'language therapy' – never promoting or backing science based treatment. The ASBC should be an advocate and support for parents of newly diagnosed children and they shouldn't muddy the waters by NOT telling them about ABA treatment and instead sending them off to have their kids wear weighted vests, massaged, dance around wearing head phones and pink sunglasses when what their children need/what is deemed 'medically necessary' is ABA treatment! What's even more outrageous is that it was my understanding that ASBC members did not stress the importance of ABA to new members while they themselves as parents of children with autism were running government subsidized ABA programs.

We as FEAT members need to insure that 'best practices' -what is fundamentally right is provided for new parents – many of whom do indeed first turn to the ASBC for guidence and support. I know that the ASBC in Quebec is totally proABA and is a wonderful advocate for parents – our ASBC should be also. Something of which for many years they certainly were not. So what I am asking each of you to do is to phone the ASBC and become a member if you are not already. You can use your visa/credit card to apply (25.00) and please get your therapists to apply also (it's only 5.00) for students. Then if this assault on the board is put through, then you can be sure to attend the meeting and cast your votes.

I know you are all very busy but remember FEAT of BC made the changes and the benefits that some of your kids are receiving and with the ASBC also doing what's right for our kids – who knows maybe someday – new parents won't have to go through the heart ache and run around that so many of us did. That someday all our children will get the treatment that they all deserve.

This can only be done by all of us sticking together and conquering one mountain one at a time.

Thank you for your time/efforts.

Barbara Rodrigues
Jeremy's Mom

[Don and Nicole Copeman]

Hi,

My son, Max (2 1/2), was diagnosed with ASD about 2 months ago. Thanks to meeting some wonderful people who have helped us, and reading everyones informative questions and answers on the chat board, Max is in his 3rd week of ABA therapy and IEII funding is on its way. Thank you again.

I know have a question that others may benefit from. Does anyone have any information regarding the MMR vaccination and whether it can be given in separate dosages? ie. measles one month, mumps, the following month, etc. I also have a daughter, Isabella, who is 14 months old, and another baby on the way (any minute now). I have always, in the past, given Max and Isabella their vaccinations. Isabella is now due for her MMR and I can't possibly give it to her in good conscience knowing that there is even the slightest possibility that this vaccination could be a cause.

My GP has informed me that he does not konw of any way the vaccines can be separated. Our consultant had mentioned that she thought it could be done.

Thanks for any information anyone can provide.

Nicole
Max's mum

[Melodie Pilloud]

Hi All, Well just a little update to let you all know that Ty has his hearing test redone tomorrow and then the fun starts. We start at ABLE developmental clinic this week plus go to see Dr. Delevie on thursday. Hoping all is well for you and your little ones. Melodie & Ty

[Melodie Pilloud]

Hello everyone, I have a very important question for you all. We may have to move out of town at the end of this month. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there are any ABA therapy groups etc up in Penticton. I worry so much about taking Ty out of town and not having what he needs. And we do not have money to move someone up there or money to come down all the time. Please if someone could help with some info for us that would be really great. Melodie & Ty m_pilloud@yahoo.ca

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