Frustration prompted the father of a four-year-old who has been diagnosed with autism to walk out of a provincial government news conference on Tuesday where the province was announcing its new Autism Action Plan.
Ron Nicholson of Montague described the plan as dismal. He said the province should have spent the money it invested in the 63-page action plan on children with autism, including his son, who he affectionately calls Hurricane Logan.
"We've had to fight everybody all along the way," Nicholson told The Guardian after throwing his hands up in the air and leaving the provincial government announcement, which was held in Charlottetown.
"I couldn't imagine, if we were not aggressive, where we would have been."
The frustration doesn't surprise Jeff Himelman, president of the Autism Society of Prince Edward Island.
Himelman's nephew, Owen, 9, has autism.
"The frustration is there with many families," said Himelman. "They don't know where to turn, they are trying to navigate a maze of services."
The P.E.I. government hopes its new Autism Action Plan will help parents like Nicholson.
It was developed with the Autism Society of P.E.I.
The plan includes 37 recommendations, but the province is only implementing 13 of those recommendations right away.
Among the recommendations being implemented is the creation of a part-time navigator to help guide families through the system and provide ongoing support.
Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Doug Currie said the strategy released on Monday will hold his government accountable into the future, to ensure the proper steps are taken to make life easier for families living with children with autism.
Currie admits finances played a role in his department's decision to only implement 13 of the 37 recommendations.
Still, Currie said it's a good start.
"I would never want to try to image what it's like parenting, or living with a child with autism, because I'm not in that situation," said Currie, who has spent two decades in the education field before entering politics.
"But certainly, I'm very respectful of the pressure they are under. Situations like that are more of a motivator for me to provide more efficient and better service, to be honest."
The province has also agreed to enhance the wage subsidy for home-based IBI (Intensive Behavioural Intervention) tutors by $1 per hour to help families subsidize wages while the department develops a new model for service delivery.
Himelman describes the report as a good, solid start but he admits he'd like to see more of the recommendations adopted.
He said it would have saved the province money down the road.
"Every dollar that you spend in early prevention and early intervention saves you $7 down the road in other government services."
Autism strategy:
The P.E.I. government released its autism strategy on Tuesday. The report contains 37 recommendations. The province is committed to implementing 13.
- Creation of a part-time navigator position to help guide families through the system and provide ongoing supports;
- Improve internal communications so everybody is aware of roles, responsibilities, activities and accountabilities;
- Conduct a survey of families with autism;
- Enhance the wage subsidy by $1 per hour for tutors of home-based IBI (Intensive Behavioural Intervention) program;
- Create a resource centre in partnership with the Autism Society and Stars for Life;
- Increase communications between the Autism Society and the province on a monthly basis.
