New Brunswick has Lost a Kind, Wonderful Person and a Strong Autism Advocate

Above MLA Ernie Steeves who filed  and led the Opposition Motion on Adult Autism Care and Treatment Services and autism advocate Cynthia Bartlett, May 28 2015 

Cynthia Bartlett, a kind, wonderful person, strong autism advocate and member of Autism Advocacy New Brunswick has passed away. I had the privilege of knowing Cynthia and working with her on autism advocacy in New Brunswick including meetings to discuss NB's adult autism residential care needs with 2 New Brunswick Ministers of Social Development, Liberal Cathy Rogers and Conservative Dorothy Shephard. Her obituary and memoriam, including some wonderful family picturesm can be found at Humphreys' Funeral Home web site:

 https://humphreysfh.com/tribute/details/526/Cynthia-Bartlett/obituary.html#tribute-start

The Long Struggle for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder who NEED Humane, Professional Autism Care and Treatment

A FB memory of my visit to Woodstock NB 5 years ago. I met a number of fine persons with autism and family members as well as Sloane Desiree Rees who organized the event and has been a prominent autism advocate. One goal that I and other autism advocates fought for remains to be achieved ... a network and autism centre to provide adult autism residential care and treatment. Numerous reasons exist for why no success has been realized on that point. I hope to touch on those matters in my breakout session at the Atlantic Provinces Autism Conference on November 5.

Dear Mr. Higgs, Coon, Austin, Vickers, Thomason: Stop Hiding, Close the Restigouche Atrocity, Open the Autism Village Network

 

Dear Mr. Higgs, Mr. Coon, Mr. Vickers, Mr. Austin, Mr. Thomason:

I sent the message included below and shared on Facebook 2 years ago. Since then the Ombud Failure to Protect Report has exposed the horrendous conditions at the Restigouche Hospital.  In addition CBC Reporter Karissa Donkin has exposed the disciplinary mess in that hospital.   This is an inhumane atrocity and one which clearly violates the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

This minority government did well in managing the COVID situation in our province with all party leaders, Dr Russell and the citizens of NB cooperating. That doesn't give government the right to continue to ignore serious violation  of the UN COPD; to continue trading the lives of severely challenged adults with autism, Intellectual disability, epilepsy for political gain. 

I am asking each of you to look at the children in your extended families and ask if it would be acceptable for them to be treated like this as they become adults.  Close the Restigouche and build the Autism Center & Network for residential care and treatment for persons in NB at all points on the Autism Spectrum of Disorders.

Harold L Doherty

QE II Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipient 

Autism Advocacy  

Harold L Doherty

September 7, 2018

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Shared with Public

Dear Brian Gallant, Kris Austin, Blaine Higgs, David Coon, Jennifer McKenzie: Will your party begin work on the 2015 NB Autism Spectrum Village Proposal developed by Paul McDonnell, so that my wonderful son with severe autism disorder will live a full, humane life or will he be banished to one of the inhumane settings chosen by current and earlier governments particularly the Restigouche Psychiatric Centre far, far from most families and far from the internationally recognized autism expertise that has been developing in Fredericton? The proposal, including the centre, is based on humane, expert principles stated by Paul McDonnell in a 2010 CBC interview:

"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

Among the reforms that the UNB professor is calling for is an enhanced group home system where homes would be connected to a major centre that would develop ongoing training and leadership.

The larger centre could also offer services for people who have mild conditions. But, he said, it could also be used to offer permanent residential care for individuals with more severe diagnoses.

"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," he writes.

"The focus must be on education, positive living experiences and individualized curricula. The key to success is properly trained professionals and staff."