Provincial Autism Center
Good morning.
Delorey Family, Ms. Turner, members of the Autism Management Advisory Team, Ministers MacDonald, Peterson-Rafuse and Landry, MLA’s Leonard Preyra and Matt Whynott .
Thank you for being here as we announce the details of the provinces first Autism Spectrum Disorder Action Plan.
I want to thank the staff at the Provincial Autism Center for hosting us today.
I can’t think of a more fitting venue for such an important announcement.
Last week, the Minister of Finance introduced a budget with measures that will make life better for families.
These measures will provide better access to health care, will help Nova Scotians make ends meet, and last but not least, they will improve the lives of Nova Scotians living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
In Nova Scotia there are about 9,500 people living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and that number is rising.
Autism is now recognized as one of the most common developmental disorders affecting children.
For years, programs and services have remained unchanged, while the need continues to grow.
That is finally changing.
It is time for action.
That is why I am here today……to announce the province’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Action Plan.
This plan represents $5.5 million in new investments that will enhance existing services by expanding programs in priority areas.
Under this province’s Action Plan, Nova Scotians living with autism and their families will now have better access to the people and resources that will provide them with the best possible treatment, support and care.
They will have access to enhanced services and that is great news for Nova Scotians living with autism.
Children living with autism should have access to the best treatment as early as possible to give them the best chance for success now, and in the future.
Yet only about 50 per cent of children who need the Early Intensive behavioral Intervention (EIBI) program have received it. Children had to be randomly selected to gain access to this treatment.
That practice is unfair. It will be ended shortly.
I am pleased to announce that the province is committing $4 million over two years to fully fund the Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) program.
This program works to improve functional skills including communication skills, social skills and behaviors, so children with autism can better communicate and interact with their families, classmates and community.
Beginning as soon as possible, every pre-school aged child in Nova Scotia who needs the EIBI program will get it.
Working together with the DHAs, IWK Health Centre and Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres, we will immediately initiate the process of recruiting and training the additional specialized staff required to treat children who are eligible for EIBI.
As existing teams are enhanced, more children will be seen, and as soon as possible, all children will have this opportunity.
And, what does this mean for a child with autism?
According to some parents, this means that their child has learned the skills to make friends, and experience the same social and educational milestones as other children in their age group.
The province’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Action action plan focuses on five main themes:
-intervention services for families with pre-school children,
-supports for school-aged children,
-supports for adults,
-training to raise skills and awareness,
-and partnerships to support programming and services.
As part of that plan, the province has also committed to maintaining the number of autism specialists at the Department of Education and in school boards so that school-aged children with autism get the support they need in the classroom.
The province invests about $1.7 each year in these supports, and that will continue.
The province will invest an additional $247,000 in new funding to Early Intervention programs so that more children and families benefit from the individualized services and supports they offer.
$1.3 million will be committed over three years, to improve the Direct Family Support for Children program so that more families will have access to medications, transportation, respite and similar help when they need it.
Just under a year ago, the Ministers of Health and Wellness, Education, Community Services and Justice received an excellent piece of work from the Autism Management Advisory Team.
Their Report on The Lifespan Needs for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder, outlined comprehensive recommendations on how to better offer services and programs over a life time, for the many individuals and families living with autism in this province.
The province used this report as a guide when developing the action plan, and every recommendation was considered.
I want to thank everyone who sat on the Autism Management Advisory Team for their work.
Your report helped inform one of the most comprehensive and collaborative action plans on ASD in the province’s history.
We look forward to working with you, and all autism stakeholders across the province as we implement this plan.
I want to say a special thank you to the Delorey family for making the trip here from Cape Breton today.
Your little boy touched the hearts of so many of us, and reminded us of the uniqueness and challenges of autism.
He also put a very real face on the importance of better supports for people with autism.
I want to take this opportunity to recognize all the people who work diligently everyday to support, educate, research, treat and raise awareness about this important issue.
You are champions of change, and you are making a difference in the lives of each and every Nova Scotian living with autism.
Thank you all once again for joining me today to announce the ASD Action Plan.
This plan (hold up a copy) will have significant impact on the lives of Nova Scotians with autism.
It will provide them with the best possible treatment, support and care now and in the future. It will help make life better for Nova Scotia families.
I will now ask Minister Landry to come to the podium to share with you details about another important investment that will work to provide increased safety for those living with autism and other cognitive disorders.
Thank you.