Neil Lacroix and Kim Gahan of Autism Connections Fredericton, and Brian Jones of TD Waterhouse, deserve applause for their hard work in making the Oscars for Autism event a huge success. Stan Cassidy Centre developmental pediatrician, Dr. Tara Kennedy, a great asset for New Brunswick's autistic children, gave an excellent overview of autism disorders. Psychologist Paul McDonnell was recognized for his outstanding contributions to autistic children in NB. Parents of autistic children who fought for autism services, the many civil servants and front line workers who provide them, and the leaders who responded, former Premier Lord and Premier Graham, were all saluted.
NB is literally a world leader in providing evidence based services to autistic children and the people of NB as a whole deserve credit. We must focus now on those autistic youths and adults who require what is currently lacking - a decent residential care system to provide for them when families no longer can.
autism
It's good to see you raise this topic. Adult autism care is still in the early years of development. In the Netherlands, diagnostic clinics are available in most major cities, but treatment for adults and especially long-term care are still lacking. Because it is easier to set up homes for the "less difficult", some homes for what you'd call HFA/AS exist but the way they're set up essentially excludes a large number of autistics even on the "high" end of the spectrum. There are some residential homes, but the ones that suit those with severe forms of autism, have enormous waiting lists and some are seriously lacking in specialized care (a few are essentially warehouses). Btw, is autism a care provision ground (or whatever you call it there: the reason you're eligible for residential services) separate from mental retardation/psychiatric disability in New Brunswick? Here it is not and that contributes to the lack of specialized services.
ReplyDeleteIt is extremely interesting for me to read the article. Thank author for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to them. I would like to read a bit more on that blog soon.
ReplyDelete