Fredericton's Autism Expertise No. 3: NB Autism Expert Paul McDonnell Ph.D.

Another source of Fredericton's autism expertise is New Brunswick autism expert Paul McDonnell Ph. D. professor emeritus (Psychology, UNB).  As the CBC interview from 2010 indicates he is a fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association, a founding member of the Canadian Autism Intervention Research Network and was a consultant to the UNB autism intervention training program since its inception.   Paul McDonnell also established a clinical autism practice in Fredericton: McDonnell, Cartwright & Associates

In addition to being an academic and practicing psychologist and a consultant in the establishment of autism intervention programs Paul McDonnell played a key role in providing guidance to autism parents, community and government leaders about the key concept of evidence based approaches to treating autism.  He appeared before interested groups in the Fredericton area where he gave demonstrations of the effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis which has for decades been the primary evidence based intervention for treating and managing autism disorder challenges. The demonstrations and information he provided helped guide and motivate many parents including me to advocate for evidence based autism services with NB government officials.  The evidence based approach was a key element of the autism service successes enjoyed in our advocacy, during the years of the Bernard Lord and Shawn Graham governments.

In the 2010 CBC interview McDonnell drew the attention of the NB public to further needs particularly the need for autism specific adult services.  McDonnell proposed an autism network with group homes in communities around the province organized around an autism centre:

Paul McDonnell, September, 2010

"Our greatest need at present is to develop services for adolescents and adults. What is needed is a range of residential and non-residential services and these services need to be staffed with behaviourally trained supervisors and therapists. In the past we have had the sad spectacle of individuals with autism being sent off to institutional settings such as the Campbellton psychiatric hospital, hospital wards, prisons, and even out of the country at enormous expense and without any gains to the individual, the family or the community.

We need an enhanced group home system throughout the province in which homes would be linked directly to a major centre that could provide ongoing training, leadership and supervision. That major centre could also provide services for those who are mildly affected as well as permanent residential care and treatment for the most severely affected.  Such a secure centre would not be based on a traditional "hospital" model but should, itself, be integrated into the community in a dynamic manner, possibly as part of a private residential development.The focus must be on education, positive living experiences, and individualized curricula. The key to success is properly trained professionals and staff."  

(Bold highlighting added - HLD)

Little interest in provision of autism specific adult services to address the adult autism services needs described by Professor McDonnell until Cathy Rogers was named as the Minister of Social Development in the Gallant government. Rogers appeared to show genuine interest in addressing these needs in a meeting between her with her senior advisers in attendance and McDonnell with myself and fellow parent autism Cynthia Bartlett on July 14, 2015.  In the meeting with Cathy Rogers Paul McDonnell provided provided a paper which elaborated on the autism network he had commented on in the 2010 CBC interview. Unfortunately Rogers was moved out of the position in a Liberal government cabinet shuffle less than a year later in early June, 2016.

Cathy Rogers was replaced as Minister of Social Development by former Minister of Justice and Public Safety Stephen Horsman and the newly named   Department of  Families  and Children as reported on CBCNB: Unfortunately in a meeting I had requested with Minister Horsman, and in subsequent correspondence, he has shown no interest in addressing the needs of autistic adults in NB. Horsman made it clear that, in his view, sending adults with severe autism from the south of the province where the overwhelming bulk of people including families reside  to NB's northern border far from most families (and the growing Fredericton autism expertise) to the  Restigouche Psychiatric Hospital in Campbellton a small community with a declining population:" is fine.  

Northern New Brunswick sees continued exodus, census shows

"The city of Campbellton took one of the biggest hits, losing 502 people, coming in at 6,883, compared with 7,385 in 2011, a 6.8 per cent decrease.

Dalhousie saw fewer people leave than Campbellton, at 386, but experienced one of the biggest percentage drops. The town's population was cut to 3,126, a decrease of 11 per cent."

Despite the lack of interest in evidence based, autism specific adult training, supervision and care shown by NB governments, and Minister Horsman in particular, NB autism expert Paul McDonnell has pressed on in his efforts to educate the public and governments about the need for  decent, humane care and services for  NB's autistic adult population and possible solutions.  To that end he is bringing an autism expert from the US, Dr. Gregory MacDuff, to speak during a 2 day session in May. Hopefully the current and future governments will acquire knowledge and understanding of,  and begin to address the needs and required services of, NB autistic adults with autism.