Families have waited too long for access to autism services: NDP

Monique Taylor, NDP MPP for Hamilton Mountain, and Children and Youth Services Critic, issued the following statement regarding the announcement made by theMinister of Children and Youth Services.

“Families of children with autism in this province have had to fight Premier Wynne to get access to services for their children. New Democrats are proud to have stood with them against a Liberal government that refused to help for 14 long years.

More than once the Liberal government tried to disqualify children older than 5 from the essential services they need despite the voices of families, and evidence from experts on the proven value of early access to IBI and ABA therapies.

After being treated so unfairly for so long by the Wynne government, I don’t blame families for feeling cautious about today’s announcement. We’ll take a close look at the details. What’s certain is that families have already waited too long for access to autism services.  Children with autism shouldn’t have to wait a day longer for the treatment they deserve, let alone until the spring of 2018.”