Ontario to expand services for kids with autism
December 14, 2010
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THE CANADIAN PRESS
Ontario’s Liberal government will spend $25 million to expand services for children with autism-spectrum disorders.
Children and Youth Services Minister Laurel Broten says the province will offer Applied Behaviour Analysis services starting next spring.
She says about 8,000 children with autism will benefit from ABA-based services, which will help them communicate and cope better at school.
She says the government is also striking a new committee of experts to provide advice on emerging research to help autistic children.
The province already provides intensive therapy to 1,446 children, but some parents have complained that they’re facing long waits or have seen their kids arbitrarily cut off from treatment.
Autism spectrum disorders affect about one in 150 children in Ontario.