People just want to be heard when it comes to the delivery and funding of autism services in Ontario, says Guelph’s member of provincial parliament.
On Friday, Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner hosted an autism roundtable discussion in Guelph, bringing together parents, service providers, educators and adults living with autism.
“There is a lot of fear and anxiety and a lot of people asking the government to do a better job communicating with them,” Schreiner told GuelphToday after the meeting. “One person said, ‘if you don’t have a plan, just tell us you don’t have a plan.’ This lack of communication and clarity around what is going to happen and where we stand is leading to a lot of fear and anxiety.”
Schreiner said he has hosted a lot of meetings with stakeholders in the autism community on an individual basis or in small groups, but about 50 people attended Friday’s meeting at Community Living Guelph Wellington.
“I think it was good to have everyone in the same room together and it really highlighted for me the importance of more collaborations and working together,” said Schreiner. “All of them want to have a voice in Ontario’s autism plan.”
A lot of parents are having a difficult time in the current transition period and are frustrated with the lack of communication from the province, said Schreiner.
A report outlining what was said in the meeting will be delivered by Schreiner’s office to Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod.
Autism supports must be needs-based and should not discriminate based on age, said Schreiner.
“We need to have more integrated services, more collaboration and more connection with less silos,“ said Schreiner. “What came out loud and clear from a lot of the parents is that the government already knows what we need — just deliver it.”
