[Karen Anthony]

EXPERIENCED THERAPIST/SENIOR THERAPIST FOR SENIOR THERAPIST OPPORTUNITY – VICTORIA

EXCITING & RARE OPPORTUNITY

We are looking for an individual who is an experienced (ABA-DTT) therapist or senior therapist to join our dynamic home team, as a Senior Therapist. This ENERGETIC, FUN, RESPONSIBLE individual will have the desire, dedication and passion to expand their knowledge and experience. Training and supervision is ongoing for this complex and varied ABA program for our dynamic 13-year-old son. Our consultant is Sharon Baxter, BCBA.

We are looking for someone who:

-is able to commit to approximately 7+ hours per week (2 shifts= 3.5 hr each – general availability in evenings 4:45-8:15pm & weekends during school year and days/evenings/weekends during summer break, possibly 3-4 shifts/week during July & August), plus Senior Therapist duties, bi-weekly team meets and consultations/training. Current availability in the summer and to December 2007+ preferred.

-is energetic and enjoys sports (swimming, running, basketball, etc)
-has strong interpersonal skills
-has excellent organizational abilities
-is a multi-tasker
-is a good problem solver
-is reliable and committed team player
-is able to work independently
-is mature and self-motivated
-is able to take constructive feedback
-has reliable transportation (valid driver’s licence)
-has documentation of recent, clear criminal record check
-has clear, spoken English

As Senior Therapist you will also be required to:

-communicate regularly with our consultant
-prepare consult reports/updates
-update and maintain program binders and materials
-overlap other team members
-prepare for and oversee team meetings

For serious applicants, we look forward to your resume that can be emailed to:

abaVictoria@hotmail.com (Subject Line: Senior Therapist Position)

[Karen Anthony]

Excellent Career Opportunity (Victoria)

A junior therapist is required to work on a long established home-based ABA team. Our family is located in Victoria.

Our consultant is Sharon Baxter, BCBA.

The successful candidate will begin immediately on the home ABA program. For the right applicant this position may lead to working in the
classroom providing ABA based support, and therefore, would be trained over the course of the next year to potentially be our son’s assistant to work in the school system on a full-time basis starting in September 2006.

We are looking for someone, with current availability, who:

-is able to commit to approximately 7 hours per week (2 shifts= 3.5 hr each – general availability in evenings 4:45-8:15pm & weekends during school year and days/evenings/weekends during summer break, possibly 3-4 shifts/week during July & August), bi-weekly evening team meets and consultations/training.

-is energetic and enjoys sports (swimming, running, basketball, etc)
-has strong interpersonal skills
-has excellent organizational abilities
-is a multi-tasker
-is a good problem solver
-is reliable and committed team player
-is able to work independently
-is mature and self-motivated
-is able to take constructive feedback
-has experience working/volunteering with youth
-has reliable transportation (valid driver’s licence)
-has documentation of recent, clear criminal record check

*Because of personal care issues (pool changeroom), male candidates are preferred.

This is an excellent opportunity for a recent graduate or an individual in their fourth year of an undergraduate programme that wants practical experience in applied psychology/humanities prior to entering graduate school.

All necessary training will be provided.

Please send a current comprehensive resume to:

e-mail: abaVictoria@hotmail.com

Thank you

[Karen Anthony]

Sorry, Justin! What can I say? It has been a long 4 days, and I am not the best with names to begin with:-)!!!

[Karen Anthony]

Thank-you Jason for taking on the email lists (and everything else)!!!

Times-Colonist
Victoria, BC

Mail: Letters to the Editor, Times Colonist, Box 300, Victoria, BC V8W 2N4

Fax: 250-380-5353

E-Mail: letters@tc.canwest.com

“Letters should be no longer than 250 words and may be edited for length, Include your name, address and telephone number. We won’t publish anonymous letters.

Copyright in letters and other materials accepted for publication remains with the author, but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic and other forms.”

*************************************************

Victoria News

Fax: (250)-386-2624

E-Mail: vicnews@vinewsgroup.com

“Letters to the editor must be signed and include a telephone number for verification. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject any contribution. Guest editorials are limited to 700 words.”

[Karen Anthony]

Hi Everyone,

I thought I would copy my letter to the editor of the Victoria Times-Colonist on this chat board also. I have not had much success with my letters actually being published…

Letters to the Editor
Times-Colonist, Box 300
Victoria, BC V8W 2N4

Re: “Treatment for autism not a right”
Times-Colonist, November 20, 2004

How do you put it into words? “Dismayed” is far from strong enough – that the Supreme Court of Canada could not find the fortitude (collective or not) to “word” a judgment that would alleviate the suffering and offer a chance to those afflicted with this devastating neurological disorder with appropriate, scientifically proven treatment. We do not need the “sympathies” of judges or others, but true leadership to stop the injustices that have happened and will continue to happen over the years. The judgment has left a lot of questions, not the least of which is, “Who is exactly watching the watcher?”

For us it is a sad day when “applause” is found by the provincial governments, at the expense of our child and others. It cuts through the heart.

What does this say about being Canadian and our Charter? Personally, I am ashamed to be called a Canadian and the Charter would appear to be worth less then the paper it is written on. The divisions within society are brutally apparent now. We are at the mercy of the Provincial Government who have been given “carte blanche” to decide who is worthy and who is not to receive medical treatment. The perceived high moral and ethical standards we wave in the face of ourselves and other countries are a sham.

For those who are perceived by the government as less than worthy, it truly is “open season”. Be wary, you could be next…

Karen Anthony
(Auton/Anderson v. AGBC)

[Karen Anthony]

Hi everyone,

In response to Sabrina’s eloquent thoughts. . .

We agree that School District Administration have a difficult job. We have also consistently felt that our child’s rights to be properly accommodated for his medically necessary needs have come (at best) second in the misguided consideration of staffing (aka perceived/legitimate? Union pressures), funding woes, and what appears to be power struggling.

We did not come by this opinion without many years of “torturous” personal experience. We have pursued our complaints, or perhaps more to the point “our child’s rights” not once, but twice under Section 11 appeals in our School District. The process left us physically, emotionally, and financially exhausted.

Was there true resolution in the outcomes of these School District 11 appeals? Absolutely NOT! Do we feel the Board truly understood the implications of their decisions on the fundamental rights of our child? NO. Is there a CERTAINTY for our child’s future to be properly accommodated within the district, including parental choice on the matters of Lovaas-type consultants and SEA matches for our child? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Will we once again be given no choice but to pursue this futile process in the future? Probably.

Are the unions fulfilling their mandate? Yes, that is their only mandate.

Although their may be a willingness by some within the district to attempt to address these issues, the fact remains that the system that purports to put the “child first” is so fundamentally structurally flawed that even “best intentions” will more then likely continue to put our child “at risk”.

For what it’s worth…

Karen and Andre Anthony (Ryan’s parents)
School District #61, Victoria

[Karen Anthony]

So Mr. Stelmaschuck doesn't think pepper on the tongue is the worst thing that could happen to a child. What an effective yet simplistic type of criteria! Actually, the reason I chose my family doctor is that I heard he's not afraid to say things like, "well yes, your arm does have a nasty break, but it's not the worst thing that could happen to you so stop complaining".

In my book, use of this type of criteria or consideration of this approach exposes a basic lack of respect for another person that should make ANY parent shudder.

Andre
(Ryan's dad)

[Karen Anthony]

Dear Barbara:

Your reply to the editor regarding H. Beaugrand's submission was concise in perception and eloquent in delivery.

We hope, if justice is to be served, it is printed.

Thank-you!

Karen and Andre Anthony
(Parents of Ryan)

[Karen Anthony]

Many thanks to David and Barbara McCleod for their eloquent "thoughts" regarding ASBC vs. FEAT (Friday, August 17, 2001). Well said!

On another note I would like to share a letter I wrote to the Times-Colonist regarding an article they ran on Sunday, August 12, 2001 (See Isaac (Tamir) submission to FEAT discussion on Thursday August 16, 2001, for download access of this article).

I submitted my letter to the Times-Colonist on August 15, 2001. To the best of my knowledge, to date, there has been no letters to the editor printed regarding the article.

Attention: Letters to the Editor

In response to "The Children of Autism", there are discrepancies in the Liberal government's position.

In an Opposition News Release dated July 28, 2000, then Children & Families Critic Linda Reid states, " The government's recently announced pilot project for children with autism is far from adequate, and only came on the eve of a court action that finally forced the NDP to act." Translation: Reid admits the 'pilot project', now called EIBI, is a made-for-court NDP boondoggle.

Now Reid supports the NDP program she denounced as "far from adequate" while in opposition. She maintains the pilot offers a legitimate "… range of treatment [and] … bottom line is that these programs are brand new". Reference to an evaluation of this program to provide the "research base that critics argue is lacking" suggests government is looking to support a biased, made-for-court program. A $1.2 million contract to study the EIBI pilot has been awarded — without tender — to the same organization that helped develop the pilot "on the eve of a court action". Why develop and study a new program when research on proven, medically necessary treatment (Lovaas-type treatment) has already been well documented, including the comprehensive Clinical Practice Guideline of the New York State Department of Health? Lovaas-type autism treatment is also supported through volumes of expert testimony given in BC Supreme Court, yet is still is not funded as a 'choice' for families.

Another flip-flop: the Liberals loudly criticized former Premier Dosanjh's appeal of the autism court case and criticized the very need for families to go to court. After the landmark July 2000 BC Supreme Court decision on autism treatment, Linda Reid said, "Once again, British Columbian families were forced to go to court in order to have their concerns addressed. These families can't afford any more delays of inaction from the NDP … " Now, Attorney General Plant takes a different stance. Government is going ahead with the Dosanjh appeal they criticized when in opposition, without much concern about how "more delays of inaction" affect the children requiring this medically necessary treatment.

Linda Reid said in July 2000, "We applaud the parents and families who have sacrificed so much to finally force the government to address their concerns". For the record, our family's concerns have certainly NOT been addressed by either the NDP or Liberal government in this matter!

Karen Anthony
Victoria, BC

cc: Premier Campbell
cc: Gordon Hogg – Minister MCFD
cc: Colin Hansen – Minister of Health Service
cc: Linda Reid – Minister of State – Early Childhood Development

[Karen Anthony]

Dear FEAT Members:

Unfortunately, we were unable to attend Andrea Sharpe's (Autism Partnership) presentation to FEAT members last Wednesday, July 18, 2001.

We understand that this presentation may have been videotaped. We, along with another FEAT family from Victoria, would greatly appreciate the opportunity to view this tape, and would be willing to pay for mailing costs.

We can be contacted:

by e-mail at andre.anthony@nrc.ca
or by telephone at (250) 386-1338.

Sincerely

Andre and Karen Anthony
(Parents of Ryan, who is on a Lovaas type program)

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