Autism ruling hurts some families
Fewer eligible for treatment ‘If it means going broke. . . so be it’
A court victory for parents who won the right to have their children’s autism therapy extended beyond age 6 is proving to be a nightmare for other families who are waiting to begin the expensive one- on- one program. The Ontario Superior court ruling means the government is no longer ending children’s intensive behavioural intervention treatment ( IBI) when they turn 6, but with fewer children coming out of the system, fewer are getting in, said families at a Richmond Hill rally yesterday.
While the families support the April Superior Court ruling, they say more resources need to be put into the system so that younger kids don’t miss out. Some 700 Ontario children are waiting for IBI, which costs between $ 40,000 and $ 75,000 a year.
According to the parents, who say they represent about 500 families, the situation is expected to get worse while the government, which wants the power to determine when kids are cut off from IBI, appeals the court ruling. The appeal process is likely to take three years, said Barrie mother Cindy DeCarlo.
“ Parents have two choices: severe debt, or you can let your child sit and deteriorate,” she said to the group of about 50 parents, advocates and media.
Jessica Solomon of Thornhill said her son Isaac was 13th on a waiting list when he was approved in March to receive IBI. More than six months later, the 3- year- old is still 13th on the list, and Solomon said she’s been told there won’t be any movement in the numbers for the remainder of the year.
Like many families unwilling to wait for service, the Solomons are paying privately for Isaac’s therapy at a cost of about $ 4,000 a month.
“ Basically, we’re putting all our money, all our savings, into it. We’re barely keeping our head above water. If it means going broke doing it so be it, because he still needs the therapy,” said Solomon. Thornhill teacher Laura McIntosh said her son Clifford, 5, waited 21⁄ years for IBI. During that time, the family nearly lost their house paying for private therapy.
Last year, the government reassessed children waiting for the therapy and deemed McIntosh’s daughter Clara, 3, ineligible for IBI even though a doctor from the Hospital for Sick Children had approved it.
Parents say IBI waiting lists have dropped because the government has had children reassessed and declared ineligible for the treatment. The 741 children currently receiving IBI represents a 39 per cent increase over April 2004, said James Ip, spokesman for Children and Youth Services Minister Mary Anne Chambers.
“ Because of the court decision, the demand for services will continue to grow, and this is putting a strain on resources. We did spend an additional $ 10 million over the last year and that resulted in an additional 110 IBI therapists,” Ip said.
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