A new study from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo found that the families of children diagnosed with autism are experiencing immense strain when trying to access supports.
Janet McLaughlin, an associate professor of community health and the co-director for the Autism Research Consortium at WLU, said children with autism are unable to access the therapy they need.
"What we found is that many families were at a breaking point or in state of crisis."
McLaughlin said the province overhauled its Ontario Autism Program in 2019. Instead of the original needs-based program, the province announced it would give families a "blanket" amount of money, either $5,000 or $20,000 depending on the child’s age.
That change prompted protests from parents, and the government reverted back to a needs-based program. McLaughlin said the roll out of the program has taken years, causing long wait times to access supports. She also added that there's a lack of available therapists.
"As of today, I believe only 645 children of over 53,000 have been admitted to that program," she said.
Some families have been on a waiting up to five years to access the province's needs-based program.
Angela Nickason-O’Hara told CTV News that her six-year-old son Cameron Matan has been on a waitlist for two years.
"He’s regressing already," she said. "If he’s waiting two years and he’s 8-years-old, I don’t think it’s going to have the same effect on camera on as it would now, or it would’ve two years ago."
The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services said approximately 40,000 children are currently receiving supports.
"We are making positive progress, and remain on target to launch the Independent Intake Organization this spring and bring 8,000 children into core clinical services by the fall," the ministry’s spokesperson said in a statement.
That would mean over 40,000 other children would still be waiting for access, according to McLaughlin.
"It’s really frustrating to know that we live in a province that our kids don’t come first, that the most vulnerable are the ones that are most at risk," said Nickason-O’Hara.
