Hampton pledges new resources for children with autism

Autism is a subject close to the heart of Nancy Morrison, New Democratic candidate in York - Simcoe in the upcoming provincial elections.

So she and her supporters were happy to welcome NDP Leader Howard Hampton to the riding Saturday to announce the party's Ontario Autism Strategy.

The NDP promises to put children and families first by providing publicly funded Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) services in classrooms for all children with autism, and clear the waiting list for autism services.

"Every child who needs IBI autism therapy should have access to it," Hampton said. "That's the only fair thing to do. It's a practical, doable and sensible thing we can do that will make an immediate difference to the day-to-day lives of today's families."

They were joined by Elisa French and her son Tyler, 11. The French family live in Innisfil and have had numerous community fundraisers to pay for some IBI therapy for Tyler, who has waited eight years to receive any funding.

Also attending the announcement was Mary Turner, a Bradford parent of three children with autism.

Turner said that in 2003, she voted for Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty based on promises he had given (to fund IBI treatment) in a letter to Morrison, only to watch her 10-year-old daughter Katie go for four years without IBI treatment. Turner said she believes Katie's development slowed down as a result, and it breaks her heart to think about how beneficial the therapy would've been for Katie. "I think it's lost time."

The children who attended Saturday's event were all school aged. They have to be removed from the classroom for their IBI sessions, because their therapists are currently not allowed in the classroom. Hampton said he will place the IBI therapists in the classroom.

He also promised the NDP will commit $100 million to ensure the wait list is cleared, and every child who receives a diagnosis will receive IBI treatment immediately. Funds will also be allocated to respite services and research.

Asked how the NDP would pay for its proposed annual investment, Hampton said "the money was there, in this past budget year, to do this."

He referred to other Liberal money controversies such as a "secret $32.5 million slush fund", $59 million originally slated for autism services until the Liberals "quietly slid it out of the budget and spent it somewhere else." and $2.4 million spent fighting families like the Morrisons' in court.

"Families face financial ruin trying to provide for their children with autism," Morrison declared. "Families are re-mortgaging or loosing their homes and life savings to provide for their children while languishing on waiting lists. Nobody in this province should have to live like that."

That came a couple of days after Morrison gained wide media attention at an event in Richmond Hill, which Hampton attended as well.

Morrison said she has full confidence in Hampton and the party. "I have been in discussion with him about what we will be doing," she commented.