Threats alleged to get plan backing

Minister’s staff told group it would face ‘four long years’ if it did not back autism program

TORONTO — Ontario’s minister in charge of the recently revamped autism program told an association of behaviour analysts that it would be a long four years for them if they did not publicly support the changes, the group said Wednesday.

The Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis said in a note to members that Children, Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod and her staff requested a quote of support a few days before the new program was announced.

The association said the minister made the request without providing full details of the new program — which they say will leave many children without the level of therapy they need.

“(They) indicated that failure to do so would result in ’four long years’ for the organization,” the association said. “The minister also indicated that if a quote of support was not forthcoming, a communication that behaviour analysts are ‘self-interested’ would be released from her office.”

MacLeod’s office said its priority is supporting families of children and youth with autism.

“Despite collaborative dialogues that took place over six months of consultation, ONTABA was unwavering in their desire to self-regulate and unwilling to work with government to open up the sector to provide parents more choice in support services for children with autism,” spokesman Derek Rowland said in a statement.

MacLeod announced last week that in order to clear a backlog of 23,000 children waiting for publicly funded autism therapy, families will get up to $140,000 to pay for treatment, though funding will be subject to annual caps that families and advocates say will fall far short of what’s needed for intensive therapy.

The funding is dependent on age, rather than individual needs for varying levels of intensity. Families will receive a maximum of $140,000 for a child in treatment from the ages of two to 18, also dependent on family income, but advocates say intensive therapy can cost up to $80,000 per year.

Families will receive up to $20,000 a year until their child turns six. From that time until they are 18 it would be up to

$5,000 a year.

The president-elect of the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis said when her group met with government officials ahead of the policy announcement, they were disappointed in the tone.

“Our meeting with the minister’s staff and the minister was prescriptive in nature, basically letting us know the direction of the changes,” said Kendra Thomson.

Ontario Green party Leader Mike Schreiner said no amount of “bullying” could hide what he called serious flaws in the government’s autism policy.