[Mike & Jean]

I have read with interest Dr. Stainton's comments regarding Dr. Freeman's evaluation of his talk at the Autism 2002 conference.

I like many others who advocate for science based autism treatment are deeply concerned about the Transition Steering Committee's new power. Why am I concerned? Put quite simply folks – because the committee doesn't get it! They don't get the difference between respite, babysitting etc. and bonafide treatment. My child's health care dollars need to be provided by the Ministry of Health not by a veritable potpourri of special interest/special needs groups each with their own agenda. I'm sorry but I simply do not trust that the monies 'won' as a result of the Auton litigation will not become part of some huge budget pool that the committee can divide up as it sees fit.

Many of us have volunteered thousands of hours in the last five years to secure treatment for people affected with autism. Two Courts in BC have deemed ABA medically necessary treatment. I am sure the transition steering committee are well intentioned folks, but we all know where that well intentioned paved road leads to. They need to leave health care to health care professionals not the social workers.

As for Individualized Funding (IF), sorry Dr. Stainton it only appeared on the radar screen in any real way since the Auton decision, and more precisely after FEAT of BC's "Choices in Autism Treatment" brief was adopted by government under the label of IEII.

My advise for the Transition Steering Committee – don't meddle in things you don't or refuse to understand. It is my opinion that if you had the courage of your convictions you and your counterparts would resign on mass before you are further co-opted by the Liberal government's political agenda of pitting one well-intentioned advocacy group against another.

For what it is worth –

Jean Lewis

[Mike & Jean]

Subject: Shelley Davis Workshop – Jan 18-19, 2003

Hi everyone,

Shelley Davis is coming to Simon Fraser University to do a two day workshop on Jan. 18-19, 2003. So circle your calendars and circle your wagons because it will be great!

Shelley is a behavioural consultant with over 25 years experience. Besides having a huge client group in California, she consults for dozens of kids and families in B.C. Shelley in partnership with FEAT of BC has presented fabulous A.B.A. workshops in B.C. over the past eight years. We are delighted that her schedule allows for her to present again in January 2003.

Some of the issues her workshop will address are:

– A.B.A. basics from the therapy room to the real world
– the "B" (behaviour) in A.B.A. How significant is it?
– matching programming to the child
– teaching skills vs concepts
– the importance of "instructional control"
– school issues

And my personal favourite:

– ABA programs for kids over six

Plus much, much more.

Who should attend? Everyone!, parents, therapists, consultants, school personnel, speech therapists etc. and especially anyone who thinks ABA doesn't work after the age of six (or believes the earth is flat).

Registration information will be available via the FEAT web-site in the next couple of weeks – but don't forget – circle Jan. 18-19, 2003 today because Shelley's workshops are always informative and fun (and packed!).

On another note, I had the opportunity to attend the "A.B.A. & school – Weaving it all together" workshop presented by Liza Wincz on Saturday Nov 16th. Lisa did a fabulous job outlining what our kids need in school. I was also pleased by how well attended it was, especially by school personnel. Once again a great job Lisa! Thank you so much!

I will post more information re the Shelley Davis workshop shortly.

Regards, Jean Lewis

[Mike & Jean]

FEAT Parent Meeting – Nov 18th

Hi everyone – just a reminder that the next FEAT parent meeting is on Monday, Nov. 18th @ 7:30 – 9:00pm at St. Francis-in-the-Wood Anglican Church in West Vancouver (downloadable map on the FEAT web-page)

The topic is "Managing a home-based team"

See you there

Jean Lewis

[Mike & Jean]

Hi all, just a last minute reminder about tonight's FEAT meeting.

We are anticipating a large turn out and would remind everyone not to block driveway etc in the neighbourhood.

The best location is on Water Lane.

See you there

Jean

[Mike & Jean]

Subject: Important F.E.A.T. Meeting

Hi Everyone,

Our regular monthly F.E.A.T. meetings have resumed. Our next meeting is this Monday, October 21st at 7:30 – 9:00pm at St Francis in the Wood Anglican church in West Vancouver (map available to download from the FEAT web-site).

Our topic this month is the Auton Appeal Decision. Birgitta von Krosigk who is one of the lawyers from the Auton case will be our guest speaker. She will be giving an overview of the decision.

This is a very important decision so I would encourage you to come out. This meeting is for parents only.

See you there!

Jean Lewis

[Mike & Jean]

Hi Everyone!

Just to let you know – our FEAT meeting, regularly held on the third Wednesday of the month, has been cancelled for September. Stay tuned for a new location still on the North Shore for October.

On another note – I'm collecting data…any parent who has a "horror" story about their fights to get an ABA trained aide into school please email directly to jean.lewis@telus.net I am preparing a compilation of examples across school districts.

Thank you

Jean

[Mike & Jean]

I have been reading the recent exchanges regarding the ASBC/FEAT of BC debate and am compelled to add my comments.

My name is Jean Lewis. I have been a Director of FEAT of BC for the last six years and a member of the ASBC for three years. I am a litigant in the Auton case and sit on the legal steering committee in Auton. My husband is Michael Lewis, who was elected by acclamation as president of the ASBC at its AGM on June 1, 2002. Both of us, along with many others have volunteered thousands of hours of time, energy and expertise to seek justice for all people effected with autism.

Apparently our work and our values and our achievements are what the former executive director of the ASBC and two of her colleagues characterize as “extreme and radical” in their bid to overthrow the newly elected board. I will leave it to you to decide who is extreme and radical.

The Mission of FEAT of BC

Dr. Sabrina Freeman outlined our two primary goals, which are making publicly-funded, science-based autism treatment available, and advocating for early diagnosis.
Additionally, we organize public information in the form of workshops, seminars and monthly parent discussion groups, all aimed at providing the most current information on ABA treatment programs. Advocacy is another of our key mandates, primarily for funding and school issues.

Our mandates are straightforward and will evolve as the state of autism treatment evolves in BC. We are not on anyone’s payroll – our only stakeholders are people affected with autism and their families.

Our goals and the goals of the ASBC should be complimentary.

Individualized Funding.

I address these comments to all of you who are receiving individualized funding.

You are receiving it only because of FEAT of BC’s efforts.
The Auton case was about individualized funding. The litigants requested individualized funding be paid directly to families so they could use the ABA provider of their choice. The government’s made-for-court response was the very flawed, very expensive “EIBI” program. Individualized funding came as a result of FEAT of BC’s effective advocacy, which was the creation of the CIAT program (Choices In Autism Treatment). You also need to understand that the previous board and senior staff of the ASBC actively opposed individualized funding. Their view of ‘individualized funding’ was for government to allocate money directly to a select number of service providers (the vast majority of whom lack the appropriate credentials), leaving parents no choice in who would provide services. Needless to say, this model is not what the more than 200 families doing Lovaas ABA programs in BC interprets or expects as individualized funding.

Those of you receiving individualized funding would not have it today if it had been left up to the prior regime at the ASBC.

My advice to you is: Get involved and ensure your desire for true individualized funding is guaranteed and advocated for in current and future ASBC policy.

The Auton case is in the BC Court of Appeal. The “age” question is part of our cross-appeal. Obviously treatment needs to continue or begin when a physician prescribes, it regardless of a person’s age. Our children don’t turn into pumpkins at age six. Many need to continue with treatment for varying lengths of time. Some don’t start treatment until after six; some don’t start until much older.

The current state of Autism “care” in BC.

What about the future? As stated, many children require treatment for prolonged periods – when they are no longer children or adolescents, but adults. What does BC offer adolescents or adults? Are the group homes applying “best practices” techniques? What are they? Are there legitimate teaching homes available? What are the models currently used for supportive living? Are they current? Are they staffed by properly credentialed people or highly-paid babysitters? What about job coaching? Who’s advocating for “best practices” for these people? What about the school system? Is mediocre treatment OK because it’s the status quo?
These questions are very difficult but the answers are even more difficult. BC is still in the 1950’s in all areas of autism service delivery.

There is an enormous amount of work to do by all of us if we want our loved ones to enjoy lives of dignity. The status quo in BC for all people affected with autism is bleak and unacceptable.
FEAT of BC has never accepted the status quo — Because of that, kids under seven have funding today. FEAT of BC will continue to rock the status quo until funding is provided to all who require it, regardless of their age.

As for the newly elected ASBC Board, I applaud the membership for electing such a group of high-calibre people. I know some of them and have also had the honor of working with some. They are professional, hard-working and ethical people who have moved mountains to help their own children and are willing to do the same for others. They all possess qualities, talents and skills the ASBC so desperately needs – vision, passion, and know-how. The stakeholders of the ASBC are truly fortunate to have these people on the board because they also know who the true “stakeholders” are – the people and their families.

My hope is the ASBC membership stands behind the new board and lets them get on with the enormous tasks at hand, to ensure better futures for all our children.

Good luck to you all.

[Mike & Jean]

Alexandria,

I too am a member of ASBC and a subscriber to the FEAT of BC 'CHAT'. I would suggest you review the response from Avery Raskin of July 17, 2002 – 11:46 am reagding the post from 'anonymous' I think Avery has done an admirable job of responding to the questions raised (as silly as some of them seem to me to be)

I would add one issue however that all members of ASBC need to come to terms with. It is highly unlikely that the current level of government funding will continue past the current contractual arrangement we have. If you review the financial report of the Society you will see that salaries and rent basiclly eat the entire amount up so you don't need to be a CA to understand that things will have to change if the funding level cannot be maintained by new sources of revenue.

Change however can be a good thing, it allows us to do more with less, work smarter, and employ new technologies to do those things that were identifed and accepted as part of the Society's Strategic Plan (developed last Fall).

Like Avery I will not presume to speak for others on the Board but I align to our constitution and the goals of our Strategic Plan. If that makes me one of "the more extreme elements of FEAT" as described in the 'requisition' recently circulated so be it. I stood for election to the Board two AGM's ago to represent all with autism and to bring to the Society what skills I have to help in that quest. I accepted the post of President at the last AGM to continue and hopefully accelerate that quest by implementing our Strategic Plan. The rest of this in my opinion is small-minded politics and unworthy of the time it takes from the issues at hand.

Regards,
Michael Lewis (President and member of the Board of the ASBC)

[Mike & Jean]

Hi everyone, Just a reminder of the FEAT meeting tomorrow night (Wed) June 19th at 7:30pm at St. Francis in the Wood Anglican Church in West Van (map downloadable from this web site). It will be an open agenda, everyone is welcome.

See you there.

Jean

[Mike & Jean]

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder…. the FEAT meeting is this Wednesday, May 15, 2002 at St Francis in the Wood Anglican Church in West Vancouver (map downloadable from this site) at 7:30pm – 9:30pm.

Our topic this month is 'school issues'.

See you there.

Jean

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