Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Ontario: Service Issues and Recommendations

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Ontario: Service Issues and Recommendations"

Maximillian McDowell
5 years ago
Views:

1 PRESENTATION TO: The Honourable Dr. Helena Jaczek, Minister of Community and Social Services Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Ontario: Service Issues and Recommendations March 9, 2015 Ontario Partnership for Adults with Aspergers and Autism (OPAAA) OPAAA represents the largest collective group of service providers and advocates in Ontario focusing on the needs of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families.

2 Organization Representatives: Autism Ontario: Margaret Spoelstra, Executive Director, OPAAA Co-chair The Redpath Centre: Dr. Kevin Stoddart, Director, OPAAA Co-chair Autism Speaks Canada: Jill Farber, Executive Director Geneva Centre for Autism: Debbie Irish, CEO Helping Adults with Autism and Developmental Differences: Evguenia Ignatova, President Kerry s Place Autism Services: Sally Ginter, CEO Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services: Cindy I Anson, Executive Director York University: Dr. Jonathan Weiss, Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment & Care Parent Representatives: Elizabeth Hunter, Niagara Ginny Pearce, Toronto Howard Weinroth, Toronto

3 The Act to Promote Social Inclusion is perceived by the community to be based on flawed exclusionary criteria and cost-containment priorities. Exclusion from specialized services will only continue to increase costs in the area of health, justice, income supports, residential supports, etc. 1. Formally acknowledge that a significant proportion of the ASD population is currently ineligible for DSO supports but is entitled to publicly-funded support. 2. Engage with community stakeholders to alternate care pathways for those with ASD who currently do not have a home Ministry to rely on. 2. An individual s potential to enter crisis or crisis status should be a criteria for funding by empowering Transfer Payment Agencies/DSOs to assess individual situations, request funding with an outline of the proposed solution.

4 $810 million will assist in the recovery of a sector that has long been ignored, but will not solve widespread cross-systemic problems, nor provide for new services. 1. Ontario must continue to invest in new programs, find existing efficiencies, and plan for future investments which will align Ontario s developmental system with other Canadian and international jurisdictions. 2. Work with MCTU and adapt key recommendations from the pilot programs at Algonquin College, York University and local Boards of Education to transform other areas of transition of transition supports for youth with ASD. 3. Invest in pilot projects that emphasize best practices, innovative partnerships and cross-ministerial collaboration

5 The complex nature and heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorder in youth and adults requires the ongoing collaboration of multiple Ministries in order to ensure that their needs are met. 1. Ongoing, planned, outcomes-focused inter-ministerial communication must occur though a working committee devoted to Ontarians with ASD and other developmental disabilities. This might be accomplished by: convening the proposed Inter-Ministerial Committee on Developmental Services reconvening the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Adults with ASD on its own or as a sub-committee of the above and convening a Cross-Ministerial Oversight Group for all supports to children and adults with ASD with a goal of seamless, individualized and timely supports across the lifespan. 2. Partner with other ministries to engage in policy and best practices reviews and implementation projects devoted to the unique needs of youth and adults with ASD

6 Recognition of the crucial role that MOHLTC needs to play in the provision of supports to this group has been inadequate in the community. Government-sponsored and supplemented services for those with medical conditions including those with ASD and mental health disorders are a right for all Ontarians, and not discretionary. 1. MOHLTC must recognize their essential role in the delivery of services to adults with ASD, and plan actively with community providers to meet their medical needs. 2. MOHLTC must engage with retirement and long term care facilities to plan for the large cohort of aging adults with ASD that requiring enhanced and knowledgeable best practices in ASD/aging. 3. MOHLTC must develop accessible psychiatric and counselling supports within communities, created through collaborative efforts with generic service providers and ASD-specific providers. 4. Support the work of the Ontario Working Group on Mental Health and Adults with ASD which is demonstrating leadership in addressing mental health needs of this population thus improving access to evidence-informed, timely, individualized supports.

7 The need for comprehensive, accurate cross-sector data collection is a priority. Those identified in Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disabilities (H-CARDD) and ICES databases are not representative of the entire range of individuals with ASD. 1. Create a tracking system that identifies all individuals with ASD in Ontario. The work begun by the HCARDD process needs to specifically identify the profiles and needs of the ASD population. Data must also be included from Education. 2. The recently launched initiative to have standard practice and a single working standard database throughout the nine DSOs, is encouraging. Comprehensiveness and integrity of data must be assesses regularly and include reasons for an individuals (in)exclusion from the DSO. 3. MCSS must collaborate with community agencies, experts in adult ASD, and other Ministries in order to ensure that necessary client data is collected and can be integrated across systems.

February 29, Organization Representatives:

February 29, Organization Representatives: Ontario Partnership for Adults with Asperger s and Autism (OPAAA) Response to Patients First: A Proposal to Strengthen Patient-Centred Health Care in Ontario February 29, 2016 Who We Are: Since 2006 the