[Sabrina Freeman]

I would like to add my ‘two-bits’ regarding the thread on “Options" as a treatment for autism.

Over the years, I have searched extensively through many electronic data-bases (including Medline, Psychinfo, and Eric) for any peer-reviewed journal articles related to "Options". I have also read all the literature and books published by the Options Institute. I have yet to find even ONE (1) peer-reviewed journal article with data that supports the efficacy claims of this protocol. The folks at Options are very good at providing testimonials and anecdotal information regarding how successful their method is in ameliorating symptoms of autism. I invite any member of this discussion group to provide us with peer-reviewed data–collected with even the most minimal standards of scientific rigour–on this so-called intervention option. I would very much like to analyze the findings.

I first heard of “Options” when my child (Miki) was diagnosed 10 years ago; I'm still waiting for valid, science-based evidence to confirm efficacy claims for the treatment method.

Why the fixation on data and efficacy evidence? Because anecdotal information is WORSE THAN USELESS. What unproved claims do is often mislead parents to waste precious development time and hard earned money on the ‘snake-oils’ of our age. The New York Department of Health says that if the use of an ineffective intervention supplants the use of effective autism treatment, this constitutes a form of harm done to the child. Moreover, sometimes unproved “treatments” may actually be dangerous. Example: Facilitated Communication shockingly resulted in seizure of children by social services agencies, until the legal system rightfully returned those children to their parents.

So, it’s important to stress that anecdotes–used by service providers to hock their wares– may seem compelling; however, unsubstantiated treatments may be a waste of resources, developmental window, or worse, may be dangerous.

Sabrina (Miki's Mom)

[Sabrina Freeman]

Several people have contacted us to ask about whether an individualized funding (‘IF’) mechanism for autism treatment is really going to become a reality in BC. This is the information we have so far.

There has been NO official government press release or documentation yet confirming an IF program. However, according to Minister Gordon Hogg*s comments on the Bill Good show, the next round of RFP*s have been canceled and $4.5 million has been earmarked for some form of individualized funding. In addition, based on the information Minister Hogg conveyed to Jeff Rudd (Victoria Times Colonist reporter) an additional $10 million dollars is still earmarked for early autism intervention, although we are not sure what form this will take.

These are many questions that remain:

1) How will individualized funding be administered?
2) How much money will be provided per child? Will it be tokenism or will this really pay for a genuine treatment program?
3) How does a parent apply for individualized funding and how big a role does social worker discretion play … who are the lucky children? We are hoping this will be an equitable process, but have no information about how fair and accessible the program will be.
4) When will the individualized funding program be up and running? What is the timeline?
5) When will there be an official announcement?
6) Will there be an age cut-off similar to the current, unfair 5 and under requirement for inclusion in the three sites of the government run autism program?

Due to all the unanswered questions, and the fact that the program HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED formally yet, I strongly suggest everyone keep up the pressure on their MLA. I am convinced that it is all our collective efforts in recent weeks that are largely responsible for this individualized funding initiative. Your MLA has to be given the message that the silent majority 1) applauds the individualized funding decision and 2) fully expects that the children 6 and over will not be excluded from any individualized program as appears likely at this point.

If you have not contacted your MLA yet, please do so. Use information in the FEAT BC *CIAT* and *Broken Promises* briefs. Positively reinforce the government move to individualized funding for autism treatment and remind them of all the *natural consequences* in case MCFD is wavering on this decision. Shape their behavior so they learn to generalize to a natural environment i.e. we also need individualized funding for children 6 and older — they matter too!

Sabrina
(Miki's mom)

[Sabrina Freeman]

Hi everyone,

Remember, the FEAT BC Annual General Meeting is tonight.

Place and time –> 9:00 PM at St. Francis in the Woods in West Vancouver.

A map is available on the web at https://featbc.org/downloads/map.pdf

[Sabrina Freeman]

By Sabrina Freeman (Freeman) on Wednesday, September 20, 2000 – 09:35 am:

A quick reminder note about the FEAT BC parent group meeting on Wednesday 10/17/01

Place and time –> 7:30PM at St. Francis in the Woods in West Vancouver.

A map is available on the web at https://featbc.org/downloads/map.pdf

New parents are welcome — please pass on the information.

[Sabrina Freeman]

Attention all Parents!

FEAT BC has a unique opportunity to invite an autism legal expert to speak on Lovaas Treatment and the law.

This is a very important lecture opportunity specifically relating to Lovaas Treatment and Canadian Law. The prospective lecture would be about our children’s rights to equal access to education, among other issues.

However, before we can set this up, we need to confirm enough interest in the talk! So, all of you who are interested in attending the ‘autism and the law’ lecture, please contact me at: skfreeman@featbc.org

We very much look forward to organizing this important educational opportunity and hope many of you can attend!

Sincerely,
Sabrina (Miki's mom)

P.S. the talk would be on a weekday evening

[Sabrina Freeman]

To all FEAT BC Members:

Now is the time to make a real difference in the lives of children with autism!

FEAT BC has published a new brief chronicling broken promises of the new BC Liberal government (https://featbc.org/brokenpromises). It is called, *Broken Promises; The BC Liberal betrayal of children with autism*

All of us — parents, grandparents, therapists, professionals, and paraprofessionals — need to read the brief and go talk to our Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

Every Friday, most MLA’s are in their constituency offices which are relatively near to where we live. Please, make an appointment and present this brief alongside with your impassioned argument as to why the new government of B.C. should not continue the autism policy of the former N.D.P. government … the Liberals must keep their promises!

There are 77 Liberal MLA’s. This means 99 percent of us have MLA’s who are members of the party in government.

If each of us visits our MLA, then close to every last member of the legislature will understand the following:

1) The autism treatment dispute is not going to disappear
2) The autism treatment dispute is going to grow larger and ‘stick’ to BC Liberals
3) The leftover NDP bureaucracy is sabotaging the new government
4) Supporting autism policy of the previous government is morally bankrupt — it harms our children.

Many good and decent Liberals (particularly those who are not ministers), will be outraged when they read the new FEAT BC brief. You will give them ammunition to fight for our children within their own party.

If you have any problems finding out who your MLA is, please go to:

http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/mla/37thparl/mla_alphaconstit.htm

The new FEAT BC brief is at https://featbc.org/brokenpromises

Once you have visited your MLA, please contact us so we know which MLA’s have been visited and which MLA’s still need visits Ph. (604)534-6956

Thank you … together we will make British Columbia the best place for children with autism!

Sabrina Freeman, Ph.D.
Executive Director, FEAT of BC

[Sabrina Freeman]

RE: the upcoming FEAT BC workshop

As many of you know, there is an exciting workshop coming up on the 6th of October. This workshop is presented by five members of the highly regarded Wisconsin Early Autism Project.

I would like to remind everyone to sign up quickly because there are two breakout sessions, morning and afternoon. Each breakout session has a limited number of places. In order to ensure you are able to participate in the breakout sessions of your choice, it is important to get your registration form in as soon as possible … the workshop is in 2 1/2 weeks!

You can download a copy of the registration form at:

http://www.featbc.org/eaiw.pdf

Sabrina
(Miki’s mom)

[Sabrina Freeman]

Info regarding the upcoming FEATBC sponsored WEAP Workshop:

Date: October 6th, 2001 (Saturday)
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Simon Fraser University, Room 9200
Cost: $25 for the entire day

Registration forms will be up on the web-site by the beginning of next week.

Sabrina
(Miki's mom)

[Sabrina Freeman]

Hello Feat BC members!

We need some volunteers for two projects — one person for each project.

FEAT project #1 needs someone who is good at searching databases, perhaps a student or former student would knows this kind of research.

FEAT project #2 needs someone who can contact people by phone for very simple verification work; this can easily be done entirely from home.

Anyone interested in helping out, please give us a call at: FEAT BC 604-534-6956.

Thanks,

Sabrina

[Sabrina Freeman]

Dear FEAT BC members,

Over the past few years, many of you have asked how you can help lobby government. Well here's your chance. FEAT BC has produced an individualized funding program called the "Choices in Autism Treatment" or CIAT program. For those of you who would like to truly enact change in our political system, I strongly recommend that you download a copy of the program and visit your MLA and demand implementation of the "Solution" to the autism treatment dispute in B.C. This brief is based on an individualized funding program that already exists in the Ministry of Health but has, to date, been ignored by the Ministry of Child and Family Development. The FEAT BC 'CIAT' brief is fully in sync with the Liberal New Era philosophy of family choice in autism treatment.

Please download, and present to your MLA, your copy of the FEAT BC 'CIAT' program at:

http://www.featbc.org/CIAT_brief.pdf

If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call.

Sabrina (Miki's mom)
FEAT BC

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