Given the high profile of autism services in Ontario (as a political hot potato), the ministries of Children and Youth Services and Education publish a common newsletter, like this one from Spring 2010.
In it, like so many other documents published by the Ontario government, is a story about how they are increasing the number of graduating Instructor Therapists. In Ontario, an Instructor Therapist (IT) is the front-line ABA worker. While I applaud the government on investing in these college (not university) level programs, they do ignore the core problem: funding. Unfortunately, like many trained teachers, I fear these graduates will be unemployed or underemployed as parents desperately seeking services cannot afford them.
So yes, they are training staff, but they provide insufficient funds to employ them. The local autism programs pick up the best graduates, leaving the rest to find work in the direct funding or private sector.
I am happy to know that hopefully more ITs will be available since finding them is still difficult, at least outside Greater Toronto. But we are one of the lucky families with funding. What about everyone else?
My sentiments exactly. They are training staff, but will they be allowed in to the schools?? NO. Whats the use again?
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