Ontario Political Party Platform Info - Re: Autism Treatment Funding

[Guest guest]

I forwarded a letter to the three major political parties running in the Ontario

election and asked for their response regarding funding for Autism treatment. I

gave a deadline of Saturday, September 13th. I received nothing more than and

auto response from the Liberal Party with general platform info, nothing

specific to the topic of autism and it's treatment. Here are the other two

parties responses I recieved. I hope this information will be useful for

Ontario residents in making decisions at the polls on October 2nd. Please feel

free to pass this information forward to other e-mail groups or your friends and

family.

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From the Conservative Party:

Dear Ms. on,

Thank you very much for your feedback.

Like people around the world, Ontarians feel the most important measure of

the quality of their lives is their ability to protect and provide for their

families and children. That's why we have nearly doubled our investments in

children's social services since 1995 to more than $2.2 billion-including

$72 million this year to support children with autism aged two to five.

Ontario is a national leader with our Intensive Behavioural Intervention

program. We are the first government in Ontario to fund an Intensive

Intervention Program for children with autism aged two to five. By 2007,

annual funding will grow to almost $100 million. The extra money will be

used to expand supports and introduce new programs for all children with

autism and their families.

We are also providing $3 million to provide training programs for

professionals who provide care and treatment for children with autism. On

The Road Ahead, we will continue to help improve the lives of children with

autism, and their families.

Best regards,

The Ontario PC Party

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The local PC Incumbent sent this message in response:

> I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 8, 2003 regarding

> autism.

>

> The Hon. Elliott, Minister of Community, Family and Children's

> Services, provides funding for intensive behaviour intervention (IBI) for

> children under the age of six with autism. The Regional provider is

Kinark

> Child and Family Services and you may contact Central East Pre-School

Autism

> Services at (905) 479-0158. If you have further questions about the

> services for children diagnosed with autism, you may contact

> Podpallock, Program Supervisor, at 1-800-722-1196, extension 254.

>

> Ontario is the first province to develop a program aimed at meeting the

> unique needs of older children with autism. This program is called

BRIDGES,

> and it will be introduced this Fall with a demonstration site in London,

> Ontario. BRIDGES will provide children with a two-hour per week,

> group-based program that is intended to support and complement other

> community services or activities with which the child and family are

> involved. BRIDGES will be offered in two 16-week sessions per year, in

the

> fall and spring, to mirror the school year.

>

> The Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services provides more

than

> $8 billion annually for services and programs to help improve the quality

of

> life for children, individuals, families and communities across Ontario.

>

> Thank you for writing to me. I trust this information proves helpful to

> you.

>

> Joe Tascona, MPP

> Barrie Simcoe Bradford

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And then I received the following letter from Hampton, Leader of the NDP

party this afternoon (Sunday) along with an apology that it was delayed in

getting out. I believe the delay was that the support staff that was assigned

to get it out to me is still off due to an illness.

If and when I get feedback from the Liberals, I will also post it out to

everyone.

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Dear Ms. on:

Please find attached a letter from Hampton regarding the NDP's commitment

to fully fund IBI treatment for autistic children. I'm sorry for the delay, I

hope you are still able to share this information with members of your

organization.

Please also visit our web site, www.publicpower.ca, for more information on our

platform: publicpower: Practical Solutions for Ontario.

Sincerely,

Graham

September 14, 2003

Dear Ms. on:

Thank you very much for your request for information about the NDP's policy

regarding funding for Autism treatment.

The Conservative government only funds I.B.I. treatment up until a child's sixth

birthday, and the funding that does exist is doled out sporadically through the

Ministry of Community, Children and Family Services. More than 900 children who

desperately need treatment sit on waiting lists. Many of these children will

turn six without ever receiving treatment. Others will begin treatment and have

it snatched away just as it begins to work.

Autism is an illness that has an effective treatment. No child with cancer would

be denied treatment based on their age. The NDP will begin immediately to fully

fund all IBI treatment for autistic children through OHIP, regardless of age.

Please visit our web site, www.publicpower.ca, to view our complete platform:

publicpower: Practical Solutions for Ontario.

Sincerely,

Hampton, Leader

Ontario NDP