[FEAT BC Admin]

In this topic area, discussion is about the fight to secure Government funding for your A.B.A. treatment program. It is also the place to talk about your thoughts and ideas about how to establish new Government programs specifically designed for autism treatment.

This is the place to hear input from parents who have fought for funding and won, as well as those who have fought for funding and would like to share their horror stories. There is a tendency to not share success stories once funding is secured. Please fight that tendency. By sharing our experience, we all become stronger.

 

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—-By FEAT BC (Freeman) on Saturday, January 3, 1998 – 03:16 pm:

-Hi everyone!

These are some things to think about in your dealings with government to help you to obtain support for your child’s Autism Treatment Program. These are my personal opinions and do not represent those of FEAT of BC or any other organization.

Many of these observations are based on my personal experiences (and I believe it poetic justice to help every parent avoid being systematically abused by their social worker the way I was).

Good luck to everyone! (Let’s all pull back the curtain on the Wizard of OZ).

Sabrina

 

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How To Fight for Funding for Autism Treatment and Appropriate School Placement

1. Establish a Paper Trail

Always take notes, documenting major points of all conversations with government and school officials.

This includes casual, in person conversations with social workers as well as ALL telephone conversations. All key points of discussion must be written down in your notes including the date and time of the discussion. This includes what was agreed upon, as well as what was not agreed upon.

Then the notes should be used to write a letter recapping the substance and content of the conversation. This letter must then be mailed or faxed to the person with whom you had the conversation. In addition, a copy must be kept in your file (see section on the icci game).

Why?

It is important to formalize the interaction between you and Government officials. In addition, everyone is put on notice that they must closely adhere to their responsibilities, regulations and laws., Furthermore, they must then consider the paper trail you have created. This lets everyone know that the interaction can become public and that any abuses of power and authority can be formally appealed and/or publicized.

In other words, they canit use discretion unfairly under the cloak of secrecy.

2. Submit all Requests in Writing

All your requests for your child must be submitted formally in writing with a copy included in your file and a copy, if necessary, sent to their immediate superiors.

3. Set Deadlines for Action

All formal requests for action must have a reasonable deadline set for that action. If no action or response is received by the deadline you have set (two weeks for example), then you will interpret the lack of response as a formal declination (a formal NO) of your requests.

Why Set Deadlines?

When bureaucrats do not want to do something, they will stall by ignoring you and your request. (As an aside, in the study of the bureaucracy, this is known as ithe power to do nothingi). They can string you along for years. When you have determined that the person you are interacting with is not inclined to help you or is not dealing in good faith, then you must take the initiative and formally label his/her behavior as obstructionist and de facto as a declination (a NO to your requests). This allows you to move to the next level of authority on your timetable to present your case. This takes the power to do nothing away from the bureaucrat with whom you are dealing. Simple stated, a bureaucrat who stalls and does nothing becomes irrelevant (use your invisible spray) and you move on to the next level of authority.

How to icci?

A cc. is a copy of your letter sent to someone other than the person you are writing. You put the cc. at the bottom left-hand corner of your letter followed by 2 spaces and the name of the person or people to whom you want to send a copy of the letter.

Who to icci to?

Sometimes it is best not to icci at all, especially in the early stages of the relationship (for example, your first letter to a social worker requesting assistance). This gives them the opportunity to do the right thing and does not present you as an overly combative person. When you start to run into problems, it is a good idea to send the icci to the 2 immediate superiors of the person you are having problems with. We do not recommend icciing all the way up the chain of command, since you want to give them a chance to solve the problem at the local level.

Why send a icci copy?

The reason for playing the icci game is that you want your interactions with the official to be known to his superior and possibly to other organizations so that 1) their action or inaction becomes a matter of record and 2) the individual knows he is being monitored. This helps minimize abuses of power and authority and helps encourage the official to meet their obligations and do the right thing.

What is the sequence of letters?

Find out the chain of command of the particular bureaucracy you are battling.

TOP

Minister
Deputy Minister
Children’s Ministry’s local region chain of command, all the way down to the District Supervisor
and Social Worker
Contacts can be found at the government directory: http://www.dir.gov.bc.ca/

BOTTOM

Start at the bottom and climb. At the Regional Operating Officer (ROO) level (once you have been declined) you have to decide whether to jump up to the top, threaten and then go to the media, or both. A word of wisdom: DO NOT BLUFF. If you are not willing to go all the way, they will ‘smell’ this. You must be prepared to take it right up to the Minister and beyond.

Documentation from Experts:

In your arsenal to fight for your child, it is wise to get his/her pediatrician and/or psychiatrist to write a letter on your childis behalf. In addition, any other experts who know your child and are sympathetic to what you are trying to do should become involved.

When to hire a lawyer?

If money is not an issue, you can hire a lawyer when you get to the area manager level. Make sure that you have a paper trail so the lawyer has something to work with. Also, have the lawyer give F.E.A.T. of B.C. a call, and we will send him/her information that will help.

If money is an issue (as it is for most of us running autism treatment programs), you might want to hire a lawyer once you have been turned down by the Minister.

How to hire a lawyer?

The type of lawyer needed is a litigator, or trial lawyer. S/he does not need to be an expert in autism, or special needs; s/he needs to be experienced in suing governments, and enjoys being in court. Word of mouth is a good way to find a lawyer.

Topic

[Deleted User]

Sorry to use the board this way but I need to get a hold of Andrew Kavchak. Both his emails have changed, Andrew if you get this please email me right away it's important.

thanks
Norrah Whitney

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,

Well, below are some articles about yesterday's SCC decision. The first one includes some quotes from Jean Lewis and me.

On a personal note, today is my last day in the current job that I have had for the past number of years and I will be starting a new job on Monday. It has been five years since my son was diagnosed and five years of lobbying and advocacy. I wish to thank leaders of FEAT of BC and all the FEAT BC supporters for the leadership and activities that you have undertaken over the past number of years. You guys are true leaders with a vision and lots of courage.

I also wish to thank you for permitting me to post so frequently on this board, which I often consider my blog. As I begin a new job I hope to turn several pages in my life and search for a renewal of sorts. I wish you all and your families a very happy holiday season and all the best in the New Year. You guys are great!

Andrew Kavchak
Ottawa
_________________________
Ottawa Sun
Friday, December 5, 2008.
Top Court Rejects Appeal for Autism Funding
By SCOTT TAYLOR, SUN MEDIA

"Don't give up."

That's the message a local Tory MPP has for parents of autistic children after the Supreme Court rejected their appeal for Ontario school boards to offer specialized therapies for their kids.

The families had hoped to sue the Ontario government for discrimination against their children, arguing expensive private autism programs are impossible to afford and should therefore be funded by the government.

The decision was released without comment.

"It's been a long road for the families, a stressful one," said Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod, who has championed the cause. "There's a huge financial impact to having a child with this type of disorder."

But with the legal door closed, MacLeod said the political one might be opening.

"If there is a silver lining to this decision, it's that the issue of autism is growing in awareness. Every political party understands autism is on the radar, parents are becoming more politically savvy and they're going to be an effective political lobby group."

'WE HAVE BEEN SHAFTED'

Maybe, said Andrew Kavchak, the parent of a seven-year-old child with autism, but the disappointment of the day's news was still hard to overcome.

"It's extremely disappointing for the autism community," he said. "We have seen one court after another close its doors on us. We've been in the political arena, then the courts and now back again. Medicare and education are supposed to be the keystones of this country, but they've both failed us miserably. We have been shafted continuously."

Kavchak said the number of kids born with autism increases every year.

"The Centers for Disease Control in the United States now says that one out of every 150 kids are born with autism. Not too many years ago, it was one out of 1,000, then one out of 500. If you don't know one already, you will. It's coming right to your doorstep."

Jean Lewis, a director of Medicare for Autism Now, said the numbers are even more staggering for boys — one out of 94.

She cited the court's decision as an affront to "Canada's most vulnerable" and vowed to fight harder politically.

"Our one goal is to have science-based autism treatment covered by medicare coast to coast. However, the only thing we have going for us in Canada is the Charter of Rights, and it has failed us miserably. Each time they do this, they betray us. The charter is only nice words written on parchment, nothing more."
________________________________
Ottawa Citizen
Supreme Court declines to hear autism suit
Ontario mother calls ruling 'a letdown'
By Janice Tibbetts
December 5, 2008

Parents of children with autism suffered a setback yesterday, when the Supreme Court of Canada declined to referee their lengthy dispute with the Ontario government for refusing to offer intensive therapy in public schools.
A three-judge panel did not give reasons for refusing to hear the case, a decision that effectively upheld an Ontario Court of Appeal ruling that sided with the state.

"Obviously, the court's decision (yesterday) was a letdown for us," said Taline Sagharian, who wants her 12-year-old son, Christopher, to attend a public school in Richmond Hill, Ont., instead of a private institution where he receives 30 hours of treatment weekly, at a cost of almost $60,000 annually. Most of the tab is covered by the province. Ms. Sagharian said the public school system was discriminating against her child based on his disability by refusing to let him attend.

She said the parents would meet with their lawyer in the coming days to determine their next step after the Supreme Court shut down their appeal seeking damages for a Charter violation. She said they may pursue another legal course, such as arguing the government and the schools were being negligent.

In May, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled against the class action, noting it had already decided in another case that the intensive nature of the program in question did not fit with full-time school attendance.

In that 2006 case, parents of autistic children challenged the government's decision to restrict treatment funding to children under six years old. The government has since abolished its age cutoff. Ontario now pays for the treatment, called intensive behavioural intervention.
________________________________
The Toronto Star
Parents vow to keep up autism fight
Families plan next steps in battle for better services after Supreme Court refuses to hear their appeal
Dec 05, 2008
Tracey Tyler
LEGAL AFFAIRS REPORTER

Parents of autistic children say they'll be planning the next step in their legal battle for better treatment programs now that the Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear their latest appeal.

The families of six autistic children in Ontario hoped the country's highest court would hear an appeal from a somewhat complicated Ontario Court of Appeal ruling earlier this year involving their proposed $1.2 billion class-action lawsuit against the provincial government.

The Supreme Court yesterday, however, declined to hear the case, customarily giving no reason for its decision.

Taline Sagharian, one of the parents, described the latest development as "a letdown."

"Our case has been ongoing since 2004, and for almost a decade now, families of children with autism have continued to face an impossible choice between prohibitively expensive private autism programs and an unresponsible public school system.

"The need for change remains desperate," Sagharian said in a statement.

The proposed class-action lawsuit against the Ontario government and seven school boards seeks redress for what the families are calling "the failures of autism services in Ontario."

As many as 1,500 families could be affected by the outcome of the case, the plaintiffs say.
The big problem, parents say, is successful therapy programs generally aren't offered in schools, so much of their lives are taken up driving their children to treatment sessions in other communities. It also means their children have to be taken out of school during the day, forcing them to choose between therapy and education.

In 2007, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maurice Cullity struck out portions of the lawsuit that claimed the defendants were negligent, deliberately misused their offices and violated the children's rights to security of the person. He allowed the case to proceed solely on the basis their equality rights had been violated.

Last May, a three-judge panel of the Ontario Court of Appeal also struck out the families' claim their children had been discriminated against on the basis of age.

However, the court allowed the families to amend many of their claims, allowing them to return to court.

The families have long argued for the right to claim damages for breach of their Charter rights, which would allow them to recover some of the cost of providing therapy for their children.

Sagharian estimates she and her husband, Harout, have spent at least $300,000 on a private education and treatment program for their son, Christopher.
____________________________________

[Andrew Kavchak]

The Supreme Court of Canada just did it again…
_____________________

Supreme Court Rejects Application for Leave to Appeal in Autism Class Action Lawsuit

Five families behind case express their disappointment over the decision

Ottawa – December 4, 2008 – Today the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the application for leave to appeal filed by the plaintiffs in the Ontario Autism Class Action Lawsuit. The five families behind the case, which seeks full and timely access to treatment and education for children with autism, expressed their disappointment over the decision, and noted that they would be meeting with their legal counsel in the coming days to determine next steps.

“Obviously, the court’s decision today was a letdown for us,” said Taline Sagharian, one of the parents participating in the class action. (Her 12-year-old son, Christopher, has autism.) “Our case has been ongoing since 2004, and for almost a decade now, families of children with autism have continued to face an impossible choice between prohibitively expensive private autism programs and an unresponsive public school system. The need for change remains desperate.”

The families’ application requested that the Supreme Court consider a number of issues arising from a previous Ontario Superior Court decision, which was subsequently upheld, with some changes, by the Court of Appeal. Among these issues, the families asked to be allowed to seek damages under the Charter of Rights, an important aspect of the class action.

The case was originally filed in 2004 by the five families, representing six children with autism, against the province of Ontario and seven provincial school boards. The families allege that the educational authorities have failed to adequately provide or fund crucial ABA/IBI (short for Applied Behaviour Analysis and Intensive Behavioural Intervention) treatment in the school system or without excessive and detrimental delays. They have been seeking a change to current autism services, as well as compensation for the expenses they have been forced to incur to place their children into private treatment programs.

The plaintiffs will now consider their options regarding the case, including the possibility of returning to the Ontario Superior Court, where the previous appeal decision left open a number of possible legal avenues.

Whatever the parents ultimately decide, they emphasize that the issue is not going away. “Autism is an increasingly common condition, and the members of any growing family could find themselves in this impossible situation we face,” said Sagharian. “Techniques and therapy that work do exist. What is desperately needed is a proper system for getting kids with autism the access to help they need to grow up as high-functioning and independent as possible.”

For more information or for comment please contact:

Taline Sagharian, plaintiff
416-522-8426
t.sagharian@sympatico.ca

[Andrew Kavchak]

while you are at it with the litany of tax horror stories, please also consider putting it all in context for the journalist with the following…

From: azcentral.com/news/articles…

Study shows families' financial strain from autism

Nov. 30, 2008 12:05 PM
Associated Press

CHICAGO – More than half a million U.S. children have autism with costly health care needs that often put an unprecedented financial strain on their families, national data show.

Compared with parents whose youngsters have chronic health care needs but not autism, those with autistic children are three times more likely to have to quit their jobs or reduce work hours to care for their kids. They pay more for their kids' health needs, spend more time providing or arranging for that care, and are more likely to have money difficulties, the study found.

"This is the first national survey that looked at the impact on families of having kids with special health care needs," said lead author Michael Kogan, a researcher with the government's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
The results are from a nationally representative 2005-06 survey of nearly 40,000 children with special health care needs. These children have a broad range of chronic conditions, including physical and mental illness, requiring more extensive than usual medical care.

A total of 2,088 children with special health needs had autism, which translates to about 535,000 kids aged 3 to 17 nationwide, the study authors said.

The study appears in December's Pediatrics, being released Monday.

Autism typically involves poor verbal communication, repetitive behaviors such as head-banging, and avoidance of physical or eye contact. Affected children often need many more types of treatment than kids with other chronic conditions, including speech and behavior therapy and sometimes medication. Kogan said that may explain the disproportionate strain on their families.

Jacquie Mace, whose 12-year-old son, Austin, has autism, said the study presents a "very realistic" picture of the challenges affected families face.

Mace said she spends "easily $15,000 to $20,000 out of pocket" yearly on supplies for behavior treatment she provides for her son.

She's still working to pay off a $7,000 bill for dental work Austin had last year. He has to be sedated and hospitalized for dental care because he can't sit still in a chair, Mace explained. Austin's health insurance doesn't cover any of it, she said.

Some states require insurers to cover certain autism treatment while similar proposed measures are pending in others, including Illinois.

Mace hasn't had to quit her job helping local families find autism resources, but knows of many parents who've had to leave work to care for their autistic kids.

She is divorced – another common casualty, she said, of the challenges of caring for autistic kids.

[David Bridges]

HI Folks

Well it's that time of year again and Canada Revenue Agency has
decided to celebrate by disallowing most of my ABA-related medical
expense claims! Once again I am forced to get letters from doctors,
etc to show that my son needs ABA, letters from CLBC about funding (or
not), etc. On top of that, they've disallowed some claims based on
flimsy stuff like the therapists' SIN numbers are not on their
invoices, that I don't have an 'official' stamp saying "Paid in Full"
on them, and other crap like that.
I tell you, it's enough to make one's head burst! And what makes it
worse is that I went through all this last taxation year (2006).
I have spoken to Don Cayo, tax affairs columnist for the Vancouver
Sun, and he would like to write a story on this but needs to hear from
a few more people. SO if you have a taxation horror story to share,
please do it here if you wish, but by all means go post it on his blog

http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/taxingissues/default.aspx

Maybe we can embarrass this government and its behemoth tax
bureaucracy enough to stop treating us like criminals!

Sincerely,

David Bridges

[Andrew Kavchak]

And from the Regina newspaper, apparently "Autism services lacking". Hum, you don't say… Gee, I wonder if any of those numbskull MPs from Saskatchewan read "The Leader-Post".
____________________

Autism services lacking

Anne Kyle

The Leader-Post

Thursday, November 27, 2008

A Weyburn mom questions how the provincial action plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will be implemented since there aren't enough speech language pathologists and behaviour therapists to deliver these services.

"What (the Ministry of Health) has done is hired 15 consultants and they are supposed to be the first stop when there is a problem or an issue if anyone feels your child is somewhere on the spectrum. So then this consultant directs you to services that I am assuming are within your (health) region,'' Barb Helfrick said.

"My question is, what services? The first services recommended in an early intervention plan is speech language pathology and some kind of applied behaviour analysis therapy or a modified form of ABA, which in some areas are inaccessible.

"I don't understand how a consultant is going to direct you to services that don't exist.''

Helfrick noted that many health regions are having difficulty recruiting and retaining speech language pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

In October the provincial government announced, as part of the $3-million action plan, that 15 new consultants and 18 new support workers will be hired by the regional health authorities to provide enhanced supports and services to children with ASD and their families.

"The role that the ASD consultants would play is to act as one of the first points of contact for families looking for information on services that are available, and receive and process referrals from parents, physicians, or other sources," said Ramona Furkert, with the Ministry of Health's autism advisory committee.

"They can also administer an initial screening to identify clients with suspected autism so that we can start providing services prior to a formal diagnosis being in place and refer children who are not suspected of having ASD to the appropriate services as well.''

The consultants will co-ordinate assessment, treatment and program planning for children 19 and under while the health regions, ASD support workers and other service providers will deliver the services.

The action plan was a response to frustrations voiced by parents who had lengthy waits for the required formal diagnosis which is needed in order to access ASD services, Furkert said.

Helfrick, whose 11-year-old son was diagnosed with ASD eight years ago, wants to know who will deliver the services, particularly in rural Saskatchewan, and when will those services be available.

The plan, she said, is also silent on whether the health regions will work with school divisions to ensure there is a continuum of services for those children already in the school system.

"It is my understanding that the support workers will be working with children not yet diagnosed or those children who are pre-kindergarten,'' Helfrick said, noting these services are already provided by the Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECIP).

The action plan is meant to build on existing services and to enhance what is already out there, Furkert said, adding it is not meant to replace or duplicate existing services or programs.

Furkert said the ministry has been in discussions with the regional health authorities who are encouraged to discuss this plan with the various service providers in their region and look at the services that are currently available and how this plan will fit and enhance existing services.

[Andrew Kavchak]

Senate Hansard
Tuesday, November 25, 2008.

SENATORS' STATEMENTS

National Child Day

Hon. Ethel Cochrane: Honourable senators, yesterday this chamber was alive with the music and voices of children as more than 250 local students came together to celebrate National Child Day. I was pleased to join with Senator Munson and Senator Mercer this year in helping to organize this wonderful event.

The theme of this year's event was "Striving for Success," and let me say that success was all around us yesterday. We were treated to many motivational presenters and performers.

Among them was Becka DeHaan, a visually impaired musician from New Brunswick who simply dazzled us with her performance. Joining her were 2008 Team Canada Olympic members, Angus Mortimer and Kristin Gauthier, who spoke with passion about the long road to reaching their Olympic dreams; and our keynote speaker, veteran CBC Sports broadcaster Scott Russell, who reminded us that on the pathway to success, it is the journey, not the destination, that matters most.

Honourable senators, I was especially pleased to present this year's Awesome Kid Award to Anthony Curkeet-Green. Despite living with autism, Asperger's syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a speech/language disorder and having been bullied, Anthony has blossomed both personally and academically. In addition to his studies, he currently shares his time as a counsellor-in-training at a local respite centre and he is also an assistant tae kwon do instructor.

He spoke of the importance of having self-esteem and how, as he said, "If you put your mind to it, anything is possible."

Honourable senators, this event was tremendously uplifting and inspiring. We have received heartening feedback from many of those who attended. I thank all the students, schools, presenters and performers who took part. To the staff members who helped with this special event, I offer my sincere thanks.

ORDERS OF THE DAY
Business of the Senate

World Autism Awareness Day Bill

Second Reading—Debate Adjourned

Hon. Jim Munson moved second reading of Bill S-213, An Act respecting World Autism Awareness Day.—(Honourable Senator Munson)

He said: Honourable senators, I wish to acknowledge the generous comments of Senators Meighen and Senator Champagne on my new position. They were appreciated very much. If I keep this up, I could be Prime Minister one day. I am the most accidental politician you will ever meet.

Senator Segal: There is still room in the leadership. It is still open. Finally, a real choice!

Senator Cordy: The record is not good.

Senator Munson: The Senate is a good place to start.

Honourable senators, it is late in the day, but I wish to speak briefly about Bill S-213, respecting World Autism Awareness Day. In the previous parliament, when I introduced this bill, it received warm support from Senator Oliver, Senator Keon, Senator Mercer and former Senator Trenholme Counsell. They were all generous in their support and remarks. I thank Senator Oliver for once again seconding this bill.

I have since travelled across this country, talking to and working with many autism groups. Recently, I was in Montreal. When I go out, I speak about a national program. We need national leadership. We raise money, $30,000 here or $40,000 there, for various hospitals and research, but there must be a bigger plan, and this bill will go a long way in terms of focusing attention.

I was disappointed that Parliament prorogued before the bill could be referred to committee. It is my hope, honourable senators, that we can move this bill forward, given the light legislative agenda that we have right now, and focus on it in committee.

This bill will raise awareness about autism, a neurological condition that affects a growing number of families in this country. Autism now affects more children worldwide than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. One in 165 families is living with autism, and they need our help.

Autism isolates those who have it from the world around them. Many different therapies are available, but waiting lists are long, and many treatments are not covered by our own health care system, which is a good system. While we do not know very much about autism, we do know that the earlier treatment can begin, the more successful it tends to be.

Imagine for a minute how stressful it would be to have a child with autism and know that they will not receive treatment for several months or even years because of waiting lists in the province of Ontario. Imagine, honourable senators, the anguish that would cause. It is a tragedy when people with autism do not receive timely treatment because it means that they are denied the tools they need to succeed and contribute to society.

Waiting lists are not the only barrier to treatment, honourable senators. Cost, too, is a factor. Treatment for autism can cost up to $65,000 a year. Every province has a different approach to funding treatment. Far too many families have to remortgage their homes, get a second job or make other sacrifices to ensure their child gets the treatment he or she needs. You have probably heard about them personally in your own jurisdictions.

The costs for society also increase when treatment is lacking, as honourable senators learned during the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology inquiry into autism that resulted in the report Pay Now or Pay Later: Autism Families in Crisis.

We learned during that study how autism also isolates those around a person with autism. One parent must often give up a satisfying and well-paying career to be a full-time caregiver and advocate for their child with autism. Financial strain, fatigue and constant worry for their child erode the mental and physical health of parents. They need our help, too.

This is a modest bill, to respect World Autism Awareness Day. I know it will not change their reality — their day-to-day struggle to find and pay for care — but if a nation, for one day, acknowledges their reality, they will not feel so alone.

On April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, people with autism and their families will feel the respect and admiration they deserve from their fellow citizens. Such a day will show support, but it will also send a message about autism to those who do not know about this condition. It will be an opportunity for people to learn about autism and recognize that, in their community, there are families living with autism — neighbours, friends and colleagues who deserve to have their reality acknowledged and supported.

Before we can celebrate World Autism Awareness Day, we need to pass this piece of legislation. It seems appropriate to speak to this bill today, just one day after this very chamber was filled with hundreds of school children who came here to celebrate National Child Day with us. The theme, as Senator Cochrane said earlier today, of National Child Day was striving to succeed. All children have the right to succeed and we, as adults and law makers, have the responsibility to ensure that they have the tools and opportunities that they need to succeed.

Senator Cochrane mentioned one of our special guests who stood here on this floor. I wish you were all here to hear what he said. Anthony Curkeet-Green has Asperger's. He stood in front of us, and we witnessed what he had to say, which was basically that more needs to be done. There have been recent provincial cuts in educational assistants in the classrooms and occupational therapists. This is not a place to cut. We are a caring society. Every teacher makes a difference. We should be thinking of Anthony when we think of World Autism Day.

In closing, I remind honourable senators that Canada is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These international conventions commit us to take action to see that persons with disabilities enjoy a full life in conditions that ensure dignity, self-reliance and full participation in society.

Let us take one more step forward, honourable senators, and join the 192 other countries in the world that have made April 2 World Autism Awareness Day. Thank you.

On motion of Senator Keon, debate adjourned.

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,
Well, now that Parliament is back in session, we can expect our champions in the House and the Senate to speak up. Below is a clip of from yesterday's Senate Hansard with news of Senator Munson tabling a Bill to permanently put autism on the calendar. This morning I had the good fortune of meeting Peter Stoffer, MP. I sent him the letter below. I understand that Mr. Stoffer's previous private members' bills about autism are expected to be tabled in the House soon by a newly-elected MP who had experience with autism and is apparently willing to speak up about it. We'll see…
__________________
November 21, 2008.

Mr. Peter Stoffer, MP
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Stoffer,

I wish to congratulate you on your recent election victory, and also thank the people of Sackville-Eastern Shore for having once again chosen you as their Member of Parliament.

The cornerstones of Canada’s polity, including the Canada Health Act, the Supreme Court of Canada, and Parliament, have so far failed the autism community. As a parent of a child with autism, I thank you for all your efforts to raise awareness of the lack of autism treatment coverage and corresponding discrimination that currently exists in Medicare from coast to coast. You have been our champion in the House of Commons. The Private Members’ Bills that you have tabled, as well as your speeches in the House, organization of press conferences, participation in our demonstrations, work behind the scenes, and support for our community have been priceless sources of inspiration. Your efforts have also given me, and many of my colleagues, hope for a better day tomorrow.

The autism community in Canada continues to struggle for justice and its fair share. Attached is an article from a Windsor paper last week about a family who took their child to Detroit for a diagnosis because the waiting times were unconscionable in Canada, and are now engaged in fundraising to pay for treatment in the U.S. My own seven year old son had his funding for private sector treatment cut-off this past summer by the provincial ministry of social services, on the grounds that his ‘rate of development’ was not increasing. They admitted that he was developing and benefiting from treatment, but because the rate of development was not increasing, they considered him unworthy of further funding. Do we ever kick a child out of school for life because they failed grade one? When our son was diagnosed we waited for two years for funding assistance. We are now back to funding private sector treatment on our own. Is that the Canadian way?

We all pray that one day such stories will be relegated to history and that Canadian families with children who suffer from autism will no longer be orphaned by this country that we otherwise love so much. The provinces have not acted responsibly, and the federal government must demonstrate leadership, take the initiative, and address the gap in healthcare. We wish you all the best and much success in this, and all future sessions of Parliament.

Yours truly,

Andrew Kavchak
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Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
Thursday, November 20, 2008

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Business of the Senate

World Autism Awareness Day Bill

First Reading

Hon. Jim Munson presented Bill S-213, An Act respecting World Autism Awareness Day.
Bill read first time.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

On motion of Senator Munson, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.
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[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,

Well, once again we read of another case of a Canadian family in a Canadian urban centre crossing the boarder for autism diagnosis and treatment because of a complete FAILURE of the healthcare system in Canada to address the critical needs of children with autism with respect to timely diagnosis and access to effective treatment. And now this family has to engage in "fundraising" because our healthcare system won't pay for it.

Is private health insurance an answer? Well, no one in Canada gets private health insurance coverage for autism treatment when a kid is born for a variety of reasons. First, everyone expects their core healthcare needs to be covered by Medicare. Second, is it not illegal in this country to provide private medical health insurance?

What an embarrassment for a country that boasts its goddamned superiority to the Americans everyday regarding our "universal medicare" system. What a load of HOOEY!

This is another example that should be routinely raised in public and in advocacy sessions as the case of the poor New Brunswick teenager who was housed on the grounds of a prison a few years ago before being deported to the U.S. (again the U.S.) to be cared for in a special institution because we have no such institution in place in Canada.

These cases illustrate provincial irresponsibility and negligence in dealing with autism policies. Do we need national federal leadership on this? You bet! Are we going to get it any time soon? Not likely. I could go on, but you get the picture…What a disgraceful situation.
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Autism fundraiser set

Windsor Star
Friday, November 14, 2008

A fundraiser will be held Sunday for a local boy who is being treated for autism in Michigan. Two-year-old Garrett Robinson is attending a program for preschoolers with autism at Beaumont Hospital's HOPE Center in Royal Oak. Garrett's mom, Holly Ralston, said she and her husband decided to have their son assessed by doctors across the border because they were facing a 12- to 18-month wait in the Windsor area.

Garrett was diagnosed with autism in Michigan this summer and his parents enrolled him in Beaumont's autism program.

The 12-week program costs about $9,600 and Garrett's initial assessment cost $2,600, Ralston said. "We just couldn't wait … knowing how important early intervention is," Ralston said.

A fundraising pasta dinner to help the family offset some of the costs will be held Sunday at the Knights of Columbus hall on Lauzon Road between noon and 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door at $15 per adult and $7.50 per child 12 and under. Admission for kids under five is free.

[Peter Wong]

FYI

Vancouver & District Labour Council endorses progressive candidates for Nov 15 civic elections in Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver.

http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2008/10/22/3941670.html

I guess those are the people work closely with Unions.

[Author]

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