The province announced this afternoon what it's calling an enhanced Ontario Autism Program.
The move comes after a series of protests across the province.
See: Rally fights 'cookie cutter' approach to new autism spectrum funding
Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services says the government is enhancing the Ontario Autism Program, which comes into effect on April 1.
The government is working to move all 23,000 children off the waitlist as quickly as possible within the next 18 months she announced in a news release.
“Parents were right when they said that autism is a spectrum, and there are different needs for children on the spectrum,” said MPP Vic Fedeli. “Our government will continue to take their input for the next several months to assess how we better support those with more complex needs and provide additional sources of support to them.
“Our current plan augmented with the compassionate enhancements we have announced recently will eliminate the waitlists,” said Fedeli. “These enhancements will also better support children with autism and their families.”
Children will be brought off the waitlist based on a combination of the time they have been waiting for service, and with a continued focus on early intervention. Considerations will be made for children five years of age and youth 17 years of age to ensure they receive the maximum remaining funding.
The government will explore options to provide children who are currently on the waitlist with Childhood Budgets on a quicker timeline, especially younger children says the release.
All families of children and youth under the age of 18 with a written diagnosis of autism from a qualified professional will now be eligible for a Childhood Budget. Children under the age of six will receive $20,000 annually in direct funding, while those six and over will receive $5,000 annually.
