Autism advocates in NB have long pushed for out governments to face autism issues and we must continue pushing for them to address adult autism residential care and treatment issues.
As parents we must continue the fight for an adult autism network as advocated for by the Autism Society NB in 2008 and called for in the 2010 election by practicing psychologist, and retired university professor Paul McDonnell:
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 behaviorally trained supervisors and therapists. Some jurisdictions in the United States have
outstanding facilities that are in part funded by the state and provide a range
of opportunities for supervised and independent living for individuals with
various disabilities."
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."
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."
Professor McDonnell elaborated on tho adult autism network principles in a joint presentation with parents to the current government in 2015. After that positive meeting with then Minister of Social Development Cathy Rogers the government has once again resorted to sending our severely challenged autistic adults to the Psychiatric Hospital in Fredericton.
Parents have fought for many years to ensure that government face autism issues. We enjoyed many successes as an internationally recognized early autism treatment program was developed based on a treatment program at UNB-CEL in Fredericton. We were also able to encourage government to provide UNB-CEL autism training to hundreds of teacher/education aides and to reverse the decision to close the Stan Cassidy Centre Autism team which provides autism consultation services up to age 19. Governments have for over a decade though refused to develop a humane, evidence based and responsible adult residential care and treatment network. The need for such a network is beyond dispute as, in recent years, studies have document both adult autism homelessness and astonishing premature mortality rates among persons with autism spectrum disorders,
It is long past time for a NB government to stand up for our autistic adults with autism and stop exiling them to Campbellton far from families in the much more heavily populated center and south regions of the province and far from the centrally located autism expertise that has been developing in Fredericton. As parents we must continue the fight for a humane adult autism residential care and treatment network close to families, communities and centrally located auitism expertise in NB.
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