MUSKOKA, ON-Residents will be able to access a new needs-based autism program.
On December 17th, the Ontario Government announced that it will be implementing a needs-based autism program that was advised by the Ontario Autism Panel.
In an interview with the MyMuskokaNow.com newsroom, Dr. Karen Miscio, the Senior Manager of Autism Services and Psychologist with Hands, a disability support centre, said that this new program will greatly benefit those in Muskoka living with Autism. “Quite a number of families whose child is autistic or they themselves are autistic require some sort of support in their lives like training or workshops,” said Miscio.
She continued by saying that this program is an improvement from the previous services available as, “there will be an enhanced level of support from this program coming to the Muskoka community as we will now be able to address each need as it comes up.”
Miscio said that why the old model did not work as well was because that the services were based off age. “When children were most commonly diagnosed was around five-years-old and by that point they have missed out on essential services,” said Miscio.
This new service will include services like behavior analysis, speech language pathology, occupational therapy, and mental health services. “The thing with autism is that no two people will have the same problems. Some may have need of basic language assistance where as others need more intensive help,” said Miscio.
She went on to say that this because the Ontario government finally listened to the families who made their voices heard. The Minster of Children, Community and Social Services Todd Smith said that “we heard loud and clear from the autism community that we needed to partner and redesign a program together – one that supports the needs of individual children and youth and puts them at the centre of care.”
This past July the Ontario government increased the Autism Program budget from $300 million to $600 million annually to ensure that the program is both needs-based and sustainable as the program moves forward.
The government announced that the first phase of introducing the project will begin in April 2020, which will then be followed up by additional phases throughout 2020 and 2021.