To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
WHEREAS The Government recently announced plans to reform the way Autism services are delivered in the province, which leaves children over the age of five with no access to Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) and;
WHEREAS in 2003, former Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty removed the previous age cap on IBI therapy, stating that Liberals support extending autism treatment beyond the age of six and;
WHEREAS Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) are the only recognized evidence-based practices known to treat Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and;
WHEREAS the combined number of children waiting for ABA and IBI therapies in Ontario is approximately 16,158 and;
WHEREAS wait lists for services have become overwhelmingly long due to chronic underfunding by this Liberal government;
WHEREAS some families are being forced to remortgage houses or move to other provinces while other families have no option but to go without essential therapy and;
WHEREAS the Premier and her government should not be balancing the budget on the backs of kids with ASD and their families.
We the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the government of Ontario immediately ensure that all children currently on the waiting list for IBI therapy are grandfathered into the new program so they do not become a lost generation.