Today I Voted For My Autistic Son's Future; Today I Voted NDP

Conor 18 1/2 with severe autism disorder, profound developmental delay, 

seizures, sensory issues and self aggressive behavior.  Few, if any group home 

staff would be able or inclined to provide the care he needs, A residential care and

treatment facility for Conor and other severely autistic adults with complex needs

has long been needed in New Brunswick.  In this election only the NDP have

committed to providing an autistic center to provide the care needed by 

severely autistic adults in NB; today I voted NDP.

We have long needed an autism center to provide long term residential care and treatment to severely autistic adults. A center could also provide expertise for guidance and supervision of a system of adult autism group homes with trained staff.  I have written on this blog many times over the years of the severely autistic adults who have been sent to a variety of locations the Restigouche (Campbellton) Psychiatric Hospital, hospital wards and foreign and out of province facilities like Spurwink in Maine.  It is not about money, considerable sums have been spent sending severely autistic adults far from family.   Out of sight, out of mind has ruled provincial decision making on the care of severely autistic adults. 

The road ahead will not be any easier than the road behind but change has to begin with a first step and the NDP have provided that first step in the NDP Election 2014 platform:

 "PREVENTATIVE CARE:

We will establish a provincial centre for the care of adults with autism."

The experts say that the Liberal Party has more voter support than the second place Conservatives with the NDP a distant third.  I voted NDP anyway.  My vote was not an attempt to be on the winning side or to elect a particular party to form the government.   I voted for the New NDP today on the basis of its commitment to establish a provincial centre for the care of adults with autism.  The  New NDP is the ONLY party to make that commitment and I voted for that commitment.  

I recognize that the experts are probably right, that the Liberals ... or if the winds shift ... the PCs ... will probably ... once again form the government.  I would like to see Dominic Cardy, Kelly Lamrock, Brian Duplessis, Charles Doucet and some other NDP MLA candidates elected.

New Brunswick's New NDP does, in my opinion, have a strong team, starting with its leader Dominic Cardy who has been very impressive in the debates  but I voted for the New NDP because it is the party which is starting the serious discussion that is needed to provide a future for my son.  I am happy they did.  

I voted for my severely autistic son's future today.  I voted for Conor.  I voted NDP.

Autism and the Green Party New Brunswick 2014 Election Platform

I was pleased to see some autism issues addressed in the Green Party 2014 election platform.  Much as I like the Green Party, particularly leader David Coon, in standing up for NB's environment, I didn't expect anything relevant to my central "issue" ... autism.  I was wrong. Although there is not a lot of details on how specific changes would be put in place the statements of principle are encouraging:

ACCESSING HEALTH CARE

Establish regional residential facilities for autistic adults who are unable to care for themselves.

Regional residential facilities for autistic adults would be a major step forward for many autistic adults.  The proposal still lacks a central facility in Fredericton near the autism expertise located there which could develop the expertise to accommodate the most severely autistic adults and share their expertise with the regional facilities but it is much better than we have now with generic group homes with untrained staff as one option and the Campbellton Regional Psychiatric Hospital as another and placement outside the province as yet another.  A good start but autism disorders are heterogeneous in  nature and can be very complex at the severe, lower functioning end of the spectrum including sensory challenges, self injurious behavior, severe intellectual disability, epilepsy, gastro intestinal issues in addition to the social communication and repetitive cognitive, focus and speech patterns. It is the kind of complexity that requires varying expertise in both autism behavior and common comorbid medical conditions  ...  and requires a facility that can provide both residential care and treatment as required in the most severe cases.

 A Green Government would:

Provide the resources required to fully implement the provincial inclusion policy and ensure all children can achieve their full potential. For those children who are unable to function successfully in the regular classroom even with increased resources, provide alternative education settings within the schools.

The full implementation of "the" provincial inclusion policy would be helpful for many with autism disorders.  The Green Party also accommodates those, like my son, who are severely autistic and require alternative education settings within the schools.  We fought successfully for such accommodations for my son and the Autism Society New Brunswick has long advocated, over much resistance, for the alternative education settings within schools for those who can not function in the regular classroom.  An excellent step forward for all autistic children in NB schools.

I went for a stroll on the North Riverfront Trail early this evening.  I have deviated from autism occasionally on this blog site to feature pictures I have taken on the NRF Trail that I love.  On my walk I noticed the Green Party candidate in my home riding of Fredericton North busy with her Green Party colleagues putting up the sign in the picture below.  Although she was kind enough to stop and pose for a picture she had been working hard herself at getting the sign in the picture set up.  One of her colleagues, an acquaintance from my Brunswickan days at UNB by the name of John Bosnitch, came across the access ramp and chatted.  It was interesting to learn that the pleasant lady in the picture is also a level 3 mechanic.   She was not native to this area and was stranded here a few years ago with a damaged vehicle.  She was told it would take a while to effect the repairs. She then asked if she could work at the shop because she could not afford to pay for the work otherwise.  Since then she has worked up to a level 3 mechanic; very impressive to this son of an excellent army mechanic who lacks my father's skills.

Dear Mr Alward, Cardy, Coon, Gallant: New Brunswick Still Needs A Permanent Residential Care and Treatment Centre For Severely Autistic Adults

Photo of my son Conor from a few years ago submitted to the Aquinian for an article by 

then Aquinian journalism student Karissa Donkin. No progress in residential care and 

treatment for severely autistic adults in New Brunswick has been made since that

 article or since Conor's autism diagnosis 16 years ago at age 2

June 18, 2014

Dear Mr Alward, Mr Cardy, Mr Coon and Mr Gallant:

A provincial election will soon be held and one of you will be premier, once again if it is Mr Alward, for the first time if it is Mr Cardy, Mr Coon or Mr Gallant.  I respectfully ask each of you to consider this request for adult autism residential care and treatment and provide a direct response.

Prior to the commencement of the official election period early autism intervention issues have already received some needed attention in a new early intervention policy which provoked considerable reaction and vigorous discussion.  What was not mentioned, what has never been mentioned, what never gets any serious attention, is the desperate need for an adult autism centre that could assist in providing providing ongoing training, leadership and supervision for adult autism group homes and assisted living arrangements and would also provided permanent residential care and treatment for those with severe autism disorders.  

The significant changes that occurred in early intervention and autism education in  this province happened in direct response to strong parent advocacy primarily from parents with Autism Society New Brunswick. In our efforts we always sought credible evidence based services.  We were fortunate in having considerable guidance from Clinical Psychologist and Professor Emeritus (Psychology) Paul McDonnell Ph.D. an autism expert who has been very active in providing public education about autism in New Brunswick. 

During the  2010 New Brunswick election  Dr. McDonnell was interviewed by CBC on the subject of adult autism care. The interview and analysis posted on the site are no longer available but he stated:

Paul McDonnell, September 2010

"Our greatest need at present is to develop services for adolescents and adults. What is needed is a range of residential and non-residential services and these services need to be staffed with behaviourally trained supervisors and therapists. In the past we have had the sad spectacle of individuals with autism being sent off to institutional settings such as the Campbellton psychiatric hospital, hospital wards, prisons, and even out of the country at enormous expense and without any gains to the individual, the family or the community.

We need an enhanced group home system throughout the province in which homes would be linked directly to a major centre that could provide ongoing training, leadership and supervision. That major centre could also provide services for those who are mildly affected as well as permanent residential care and treatment for the most severely affected.  Such a secure centre would not be based on a traditional "hospital" model but should, itself, be integrated into the community in a dynamic manner, possibly as part of a private residential development.The focus must be on education, positive living experiences, and individualized curricula. The key to success is properly trained professionals and staff."  (Bold highlighting added - HLD)

If a major autism centre is not developed to help enhance the group homes and provide permanent residential care and treatment for those with severe autism as Professor McDonnell has advised people with severe autism, including my wonderful, happy 18 year old son,  will continue to be sent to live  out their lives in Campbellton at the Regional Psychiatric Hospital. Apart from the  hospital character of that facility it is also located in a corner of the province 3 to 4 hours drive from most communities in New Brunswick and has no direct access to autism expertise.   The ASNB polled our members on the desirable location for an autism centre and voted for Fredericton for several reasons, the two most critical being proximity to the autism expertise developed at UNB and the Stan Cassidy Centre, and the central location providing easier access for most families to their loved ones who would reside there temporarily and in some cases permanently.

As a very interested father of an 18 year old severely autistic son I ask each of you whether if elected  your government will develop, during the next election term, the modern youth and adult autism centre described by Professor McDonnell and badly needed in New Brunswick.

Respectfully,

Harold L Doherty

Fredericton