Hey ABA,The 90's Called and They Want Their Autism Therapy Back

If I hear "evidence-based research" or "best practices" one more time I am going to gag.  STOP throwing buzz words out to make yourself feel better for standing behind a therapy that is quickly becoming archaic.  While I will admit that the quality of ABA therapy varies widely depending on the agency and most importantly the autism support worker; this does not change the fact that other more progressive, relationship based therapies exist (Son-Rise, RDI, etc etc). Behavioural therapies are not the only option for children with autism anymore!  These children are more than a set of  so-called 'inappropriate behaviours' that need to be trained out of them. The New Brunswick government will provide funding to an approved agency to deliver ABA therapy to a child five years old and under diagnosed with ASD.  I am not sure of the actual amount of money the agency will receive per child.  I have heard that it is somewhere between $23,000 and $30,000 for each child per year.  The child will receive twenty hours a week of therapy at the approved agency.  In most areas of the province there is only one approved location.  Furthermore, if we are talking about buzz words, here are two: EARLY INTERVENTION.  The province promotes early intervention as INTEGRAL to the success of autism therapy and yet Kate is still waiting to receive therapy!  We are literally on a waiting list for a therapy that we don't agree with, but is our only option in this province.  We want to be able to access the therapy we believe in.  We want the New Brunswick government to explore other options or at least let us explore those options.  Let us direct the funds for Kate's treatment to the therapies of our choice.  I better stop this here before I get started on New Brunswick's extreme inclusion policy.  I may sound angry but I promise you I am just motivated.  I work with exceptional children all day long as a resource teacher.  They , along with Kate, motivate me to ask questions and speak my mind about the current trends and practices in this province.  

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