Friday, August 01, 2008

Welland Ontario Needs Medicare for Autism NOW!

The Welland Tribune is reporting the heart wrenching story of 4 year old Branden Hayward of Welland, Ontario. Branden has an autism spectrum disorder and has been on a waiting list for Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI/ABA) for the past two years. His mother Stacey was told just 3 weeks ago that Branden would begin Therapy in September because he had made his way up one of Ontario's notorious autism treatment waiting lists. Then, this Monday she received notification that funding limitations precluded accepting new clients and Branden would NOT be receiving IBI services after all that time waiting:

"We kept going because we knew the treatment was coming," says Hayward. "It was a slap in the face" to open that letter.

She says only three weeks ago she was called to attend a meeting at Thorold's Bethesda services, where program staff informed her about Branden's entry into therapy in September, because he had finally made his way up to third on the list.

Visibly upset, she says she was given no warning of the impending delay at the time of the meeting, and was "pumped up" about the upcoming treatment."

Canada needs Medicare for Autism NOW!

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