Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada – In an effort to gauge the need for increased ASD services in the province, the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador has launched a “needs assessment” initiative.
The organization is requesting that all individuals with ASD, and those with family members who are on the spectrum, register for the assessment regardless of whether or not they currently receive services.
Scott Crocker, the executive director of the organization states in The Beacon:
“We want to get the best picture possible of service delivery throughout the province…(It) will confirm services that are available, those that are lacking and identify the gaps that exist.”
One of the main concerns the organization is seeking to address by conducting the project is the “gap” that exists for adults on the spectrum who do not receive support due to the fact that their IQ is above the delineating threshold of global developmental delay.
Another issue is the fact that many children are being home schooled because of a lack of support available in the province’s school system. As a result, parents have often been forced to give up full-time employment in order to educate their children at home.
The Public Health Agency of Canada will be working with other provinces in order to conduct a similar study.
The original article by Barb Sweet in The Beacon, can be read here