Ontario’s Strategy for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders Presentation to Attendees of Child Psychiatry Day April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services
Purpose • The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of: – how the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) supports children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 2
Services and Supports for ASD – What is Currently Available? • MCYS support for autism-specific services began in May 1999 when $5 million was announced for the Intensive Early Intervention Program for Children with Autism (now the Autism Intervention Program). • Since this time, MCYS has broadened the supports and services available to cover a wider range of supports for children and youth with ASD and their parents. • Programs introduced between 1999 and 2004 include: – Autism Intervention Program • Provides Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) for children/youth that have a diagnosis towards the severe end of the autism spectrum. • Families are offered support services while waiting for IBI and planning and supports are available when their child/youth prepares to leave the program. • As of September 30, 2010 the AIP was serving 1,404 children/youth. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 3
Services and Supports for ASD – What is Currently Available? (cont’d) – School Support Program- ASD • Consultants provide training, resource development and consultation to educators to assist them in supporting students with ASD. • Programs introduced between 2005 and 2010 include: – ASD Respite Services – provides temporary relief for families from the demands of caring for a child with ASD while engaging their children in meaningful skill-building activities, serving over 7,000 children in 2009- 10; – ASD Summer Camp – provides summer camp opportunities for children with ASD, and served 1,100 children in summer 2010; – Realize Community Potential – supports families of children and youth with ASD through parent support networks, training, resource materials and social learning opportunities for their children; – ABACUS – a registry of Applied Behaviour Analysis providers maintained by Autism Ontario that provides a resource to families hiring providers to work with their children with autism; and – CALYPSO – a website maintained by Autism Ontario that provides information to parents about available summer camp programs in specific locations. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 4
Services and Supports for ASD – What is Currently Available? (cont’d) – Connections for Students (joint MCYS and Ministry of Education) • The goal of Connections for Students is to provide more coordinated and seamless transitions for school-aged children and youth leaving the Autism Intervention Program and starting or continuing in a publicly funded school. • Multidisciplinary teams are established six months before a child leaves the Autism Intervention Program and include the principal, teacher, parent/guardian, School Support Program consultant, school board ABA expert professional, and other professionals as required. • Teams continue to support the child for at least six months after the child has left the AIP and is in a publicly funded school. • 819 children were served year-to-date as of September 2010. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 5
Factors Affecting the Evolution of Autism Services Recognition of the Need for a Range of Appropriate Services and Supports • Parents, researchers and service providers have identified the need for a broad range of skill building services in the areas of social, communication, behavioural and cognitive skills for children and youth with ASD. • They also identified the need for the province to enhance and broaden the current array of programs for children and youth with ASD. Parent Confidence in IBI Service Delivery through the Autism Intervention Program • IBI has traditionally been the main service offered in Ontario to children and youth with ASD, and therefore has received a lot of attention from parents and interested stakeholders. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 6
Factors Affecting the Evolution of Autism Services (cont’d) Pressure on Schools • The majority of children receiving IBI services are school-aged. • There is recognition of the need to support effective transitions for children leaving the AIP to begin or continue in the publicly funded school system, and to continue to improve the school supports for all children with ASD. Family Support Needs • The importance of respite for parents as well as the importance of access to information regarding autism and available services has been expressed in consultations with families and is well supported in the research literature. Evolving Research • Research on the assessment and treatment of ASD is rapidly advancing, and the Government needs ongoing advice on up to date, evidence-based research on effective clinical practices and autism programs. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 7
Moving Forward: Ontario’s Autism Strategy • The Minister of Children and Youth Services highlighted key parts of Ontario‟s Strategy for children and youth with ASD in an announcement in December 2010. • The vision: “Ontario as a leader in autism research, programs and services that provide a continuum of care that responds to each child and families’ unique needs and enhances their capacity to participate in and contribute to home, school and their community.” • The strategy was formed through consultations with parents, service providers, expert clinicians and researchers, as well as research on the effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis-based programs and an analysis of what‟s being done outside of Ontario. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 8
Moving Forward: Ontario’s Autism Strategy Component Description Implementation • Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)-based services will provide time- • Late Spring 2011 Community- based Services limited skill building services to improve communication, social/interpersonal, daily living, and behavioural/emotional skills. (ABA) • Includes a parent support component. • Will serve approximately 8,000 children and youth annually at maturity. • Establish an independent review mechanism for parents who are not • Fall 2011 Intensive Behavioural satisfied with decisions related to IBI: Intervention (IBI) • eligibility Service • discharge, or Enhancements • reduction/intensity of service through the Autism Intervention Program. • Establish an ASD clinical expert committee that will provide advice to • Fall 2011 Service System Capacity MCYS on up to date, evidence-based research on effective clinical practice and autism programs. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 9
Moving Forward: Ontario’s Autism Strategy Component Description Implementation • Expand parent support and training programs for parents of • Fall 2011 Parent Education and Supports children with ASD, including: – parent training on integrating interventions into daily life – community-based parent to parent support, and – information, tools and resources. • Fund March Break camps for children with ASD each year. • Maintain and expand network of lead researchers on ASD in • Ongoing Autism Research Ontario and Canada and build capacity for the next generation of researchers. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 10
Moving Forward: Ontario’s Autism Strategy Component Description Implementation • • Ongoing School-based Continue to provide supports for children leaving IBI through the Supports Connections for Students model, and work with Ministry of Education to enhance supports in school for children with ASD. • • 2011 and beyond Transition Create smooth transitions for all children with ASD, including Supports transitions in-school, between schools and programs, and the transition to adulthood and post-secondary education. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 11
Next Steps • Expressions of Interest for the delivery of ABA-based services and supports are currently being evaluated, and children are expected to begin receiving services in late Spring 2011. • The Independent Review Mechanism for the AIP is under development and on track for implementation in Fall 2011. Stakeholder validation sessions will take place in April 2011. • The mandate and process to establish the ASD Clinical Expert Committee is currently being finalized and the establishment of the committee is expected in Fall 2011. April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 12
Supports for Students with Autism PUT TITLE HERE Spectrum Disorders (ASD) April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 13
PURPOSE • Purpose of the presentation is to: – give an overview of the Ministry of Education‟s supports of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). April 7, 2011 Ministry of Children and Youth Services 14
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