June 2001

Families Protest Removal Of Autistic Son

St. Hubert, Que. - Parents of autistic children in Quebec held a rally outside the home of an autistic man in St. Hubert who will be separated from his family by court order.
Last week a Quebec Superior Court judge ordered the Stuart family to put their 22-year-old son Harold into a psychiatric hospital for a year.
That came after the local rehabilitation worker said the family couldn't take care of him adequately. Harold is said to be a difficult, sometimes violent, patient.
Family members say they are devastated by the ruling and insist they can look after Harold.
His father Brian says the psychiatric hospital will simply drug and restrain him.
They want the government to give them more support so they can take care of him at home. Provincial and national lobby groups agree. They say institutionalizing autism patients can cost
a fortune and the money should be given to families who would rather care for their children themselves.

Copyright 1 2001 CBC.