Oct. 15, 2001

Autism Society Canada’s Letter to the Editor

Autism Awareness Month (October) in Canada is a time of great sadness as Canada mourns the second person with an autism condition whose life was taken by a parent in the past year. The fact that parents act out their belief that there are no other options is testament to the reality that services for people with autism conditions and their families remain unnecessarily ineffective, inadequate and inaccessible in most of Canada.

Families in six provinces have taken provincial governments to court to fight for effective treatment for their children with autism conditions. Multitudes of meetings take place across the country with every level of government, educators and service providers toward families obtaining effective assistance for people with autism conditions of all ages. Thousands of hours are spent every year in these meetings (all of which cost money), which have resulted in some progress in isolated instances for specific groups of individuals.

On a national basis, however, progress is unacceptably minimal. Why? The reason is not lack of information. The provincial autism societies, all of whom make up the Autism Society Canada have diligently presented data and research in those meetings that illustrate how the provision of early and accurate diagnosis, effective treatments, and adequate family supports can cut in half the current lifetime cost of supporting a person with an autism condition. The reason is therefore not money. The reason is lack of political will to exercise strong leadership through reorganizing current service provision and funding channels, ensuring national standards, facilitating collaborative and relevant research, as well as making a commitment to see that every person with an autism condition receives universally accessible no-cost treatments and assistance based on current best practices.

To help change this situation, Autism Society Canada has asked Health Canada to establish an Autism Secretariat that could facilitate the changes that are essential to achieve universally accessible, effective and adequate care. Every Canadian can help prevent more deaths and wasted lives by phoning, e-mailing or writing their Member of Parliament and Premier to support the establishment of an Autism Secretariat, and insisting on the provision of non-age specific accessible effective autism condition treatments and adequate family supports from every provincial and territorial government.

Do not let another Autism Awareness Month go by with no substantial change to the current situation - make contact today. It could save the life of another person with an autism condition.

Lisa Simmermon
President, Autism Society Canada
President, Saskatchewan Society for the Autistic
82 Hastings Cr.
Regina, SK Canada   S4T 7N7