Grimsby Lincoln News
GRIMSBY A Grimsby couple is fuming after funding for their sons autism treatment was cut off after only one year.
After waiting four years for intensive behavioral intervention (IBI) therapy, Chris Biggs and Diedre McKay were notified last month their six-year-old son Tison was no longer eligible for government funding. Tison, who is non-verbal and was diagnosed with autism at age three, failed to meet the milestones of the government-funded program and his parents are now appealing that decision.
Basically, hes being kicked out of autistic school for being too autistic, said Biggs, co-host of the Biggs and Barr morning show on 97.7 HTZ FM. Hes a good kid. Hes willing to learn, hes a good student, but hes too autistic.
IBI, the primary method of autism therapy in Ontario, is an intensive form of treatment that uses repetition and positive reinforcement. When started early research indicates results are best when administered before age four it can dramatically affect the trajectory of a childs life by teaching them to communicate and interact. Long wait times in the province mean the average child wont access publicly-funded treatment until after six years of age. Private therapy ranges from $60,000 to $100,000 for a year.
Biggs and McKay are not alone in their frustrations. Despite drastic funding increases over the past five years including $5 million announced last August to reduce wait times and improve access the average wait for therapy is just under four years. Since 2007, the wait list for IBI has grown from 1,063 to 1,748 with the regions of Central East (covering York and Durham regions, Barrie, and Peterborough), HamiltonNiagara, and Toronto accounting for 80 per cent of the increase.
In Niagara, there are 123 children waiting to access 43 government-funded IBI spots which means children are waiting between three and three-and-a-half years for therapy, said Brian Davies, chief executive officer at Bethesda Services, which delivers the program in the region. The allocations are determined by Hamilton Health Sciences, which distributes ministry funding in four regions including Niagara.
The number of treatment spots has remained at 1,400 while the number of children waiting has increased by 23 per cent.
We are very cognizant of our wait time, said Davies, noting the agency does provide other programs to help bridge the gap.
An annual dinner auction in April raises about $30,000 for the organization. Last year, the organization used those funds to provide respite programs.
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Autism funding shortage frustrates Grimsby parents