(image source : ontarioautismcoalition.com)
Recent survey from Ontario Autism Coalition has found some Ontario families have to wait up to five years for core services under the Ontario Autism Program.
The survey was conducted because Ontario families reported increased wait times for access to Ontario Autism Program’s core services over the past few years.
Figures obtained by the coalition through a freedom-of-information request show that more than 84,000 children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program to seek autism services and 19,600 of them are receiving funding to access core services.
Children, Community and Social Services Minister Michael Parsa refused to say whether five years is an acceptable length of time.
Ontario Autism Coalition president Alina Cameron says the government’s autism program is not providing enough help for the children who need it.
“There’s a human cost. Families are paying the price,” she said.
“Our survey found that a staggering percentage of autistic children and youth, 44 per cent, have at least one parent or caregiver who cannot work because of the demands of care.”
Core therapies covered in the program include applied behaviour analysis, speech language pathology and occupational therapy.
