Will a new framework for autism spectrum disorder make a difference in Canada?

A new federal framework for autism spectrum disorder is a promising step, but more needs to be done to improve access to care, an advocate suggests.

The framework announced last month is meant to guide efforts to provide co-ordinated services and supports for people with the lifelong neurodevelopmental condition, their families, supporters and caregivers, according to the government.

While Andrew Kavchak doesn’t believe the framework will make a difference in the short- or medium-term, he is optimistic about the impact it will have over time.

“What’s good in all of this is that after 20 years of lobbying, we finally got the federal government to acknowledge that there is problem with the autism community across the country,” Kavchak, a member of the Canadian Autism Treatment for Medicare Coalition, said in an interview from Ottawa with CTV’s Your Morning on Thursday.

Kavchak’s 23-year-old son, Steven, was diagnosed with severe autism in 2003.

“This strategy right now as far as I can tell is merely a commitment to give us in the short-term perpetual Zoom meetings and more consultations.”

Long-term, he said, autism advocates want governments to go beyond the short-term solutions and instead focus on providing access to treatment and group homes as well as universal health care.

In Ontario, where Kavchak is based, treatment for individuals with autism is offered through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, which he says is plagued with waitlists.

“They don’t have resources, they don’t have expertise,” said Kovchak, who has written two books on autism policy. He said he believes people with autism would be able to access services more quickly if they were offered through the Ministry of Health.

In 2019, one in 50 youth, or about two per cent, under 17 years old were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, according to the Canadian government’s health survey.

“What needs to change is the government’s approach and start actually spending some money and doing something rather than just creating more committees,” he said.

Watch the full interview above for more. More information on the framework and autism is available on Health Canada’s website.