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LATEST AUTISM STATS SHOW DISTURBING TREND: HORWATH
QUEEN’S PARK – The latest government statistics on autism services obtained by MPP Andrea Horwath show more children than ever are losing Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) services, Ontario’s NDP Leader says.
According to quarterly figures for the period ending September 30, 2010, 240 children had their IBI treatment terminated, an increase of 266 per cent.
“It is very disturbing to see numbers that show more children waiting to be assessed and more being cut off, yet fewer receiving IBI services overall,” Horwath said. “The McGuinty Liberals announced $25 million to serve 8,000 children and will re-announce this in the spring, but their hidden numbers tell the tale. This is a cruel shell game. Ontario parents deserve better support for their children’s special needs and Liberals have been failing children with autism and their families.”
While 150 more children were cut off, 42 fewer overall (1404 children) were served by the McGuinty government’s autism program compared to the previous quarter ending June 30, the waiting list for assessment grew by 34 to 339 children. Altogether there were 1517 children waiting for treatment, 92 fewer than the previous quarter.
Horwath wants the McGuinty government to regularly and routinely make the quarterly autism statistics publicly available in real time.
She says the government’s new practice of benchmarking a child’s progress is helping to expel children from IBI programs over strong parental objections.
“Provincial autism numbers should be available region by region on the Ministry of Children and Youth Services website as soon as they are compiled. Families deserve to know not only waiting times and service numbers, but also the average wait time for IBI in Ontario,” Horwath said. “They shouldn’t have to wait almost four months to find out.”
Q2 for period July 1 to September 30, 2010
Number of children receiving IBI services: 1404
Number of children discharged: 240 Number of children waiting for treatment: 1517 Number of children waiting for assessment: 339
Q1 for period April 1 to June 30, 2010
Number of children receiving IBI services: 1446
Number of children discharged: 90 Number of children waiting for treatment: 1609 Number of children waiting for assessment: 305
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Media contact: Sheila White (416) 325-2777 or (416) 902-0977
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