More than 70,000 kids waitlisted for Ontario’s autism program

Summary

The transcript highlights the urgent need for autism services in Ontario, Canada, where an estimated 50,000 children are on a waitlist. Despite increased funding to CAD 720 million, families like that of 5-year-old Regis, diagnosed with autism, face long waits and the risk of aging out of the program. The Ontario autism Coalition criticizes the program's design and calls for immediate action as families reach a breaking point, with some seeking alternative support systems.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ Regis, a 5-year-old boy diagnosed with autism, exhibits self-harming behaviors and his mother is seeking help.
• 💔 The family is struggling with the emotional toll of watching Regis hurt himself and the lack of available services.
• 💼 The mother, Kirston Marceline, is a stay-at-home mom of five, who has enrolled Regis in studies and is paying for services out of pocket.
• 📈 There is a significant waitlist for autism services in Ontario, with an estimated 50,000 children waiting for care.
• 📉 Despite the growing waitlist, there have been weeks where the number of children receiving care has decreased.
• 📊 The Ontario autism Coalition criticizes the program's design, suggesting it's not effectively serving the children in need.
• 📅 The importance of starting autism therapy as early as possible after diagnosis is highlighted, yet many children are not receiving timely care.
• 💔 The emotional distress is palpable as families are reaching a breaking point due to the indefinite wait for services.
• 📉 The provincial government's response to the crisis has been criticized, with the Ontario autism Coalition calling for more effective action.
• 💡 The government has increased funding for autism services, but the president of the Ontario autism Coalition argues that it's still insufficient.

Q & A

What is the issue with Regis, the 5-year-old son of Kirston Marceline?

Regis was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2 and is currently expressing himself by hurting himself, which is distressing for his mother to witness.

What steps has Kirston Marceline taken to help her son Regis?

Kirston has enrolled Regis in studies and care programs, even paying out of pocket for services, to help him with his autism.

How long has Regis been waiting for provincially funded Autism Services in Ontario?

Regis has been waiting for 3 years post diagnosis for provincially funded Autism Services in Ontario.

What is the estimated number of children on the waitlist for Autism Services in Ontario according to the Ontario Autism Coalition?

The Ontario Autism Coalition estimates that the number of children on the waitlist for services in Ontario has grown to around 50,000.

Why did the number of children receiving care in Ontario decline during some weeks of the year?

New data suggests that during some weeks, the number of children receiving care declined, possibly due to the way the program is designed and the large number of children waiting for services.

What was the government's response to the issue of declining numbers of children receiving care?

In a statement to CBC Toronto, the Province stated that sometimes enrollment numbers into autism programs go down because children age out.

What changes were made to the autism program in Ontario in 2019?

In 2019, the then new PC government scrapped the previous liberal program and introduced its own, which was met with negative reactions and was later shelved and relaunched in 2022.

How much funding has the province of Ontario increased for autism this year according to the script?

The province of Ontario has increased its autism funding to $720 million this year.

What is the current state of the Ontario autism program according to Alina Cameron, the president of the Ontario Autism Coalition?

Alina Cameron states that the program is in crisis, with families desperate for help and reaching their breaking point due to the indefinite wait and the large number of children on the waitlist.

What is the concern for families like Regis's regarding the Ontario autism program?

The concern is that children like Regis might not receive the necessary treatment until it's too late, as they may age out of the program before receiving the required services.