Entry for February 23, 2007

Elections are approaching and promises are being made to the right and to the left. Today, I read in The Star that "Tory promises $75 M for autism".

It says, "A Progressive Conservative government would reduce waiting lists for intensive autism treatment by investing an additional $75M annually to help parents and children, leader John Tory is promising."

It would be wonderful if he keeps such a promise.

The article ends, "If elected, Tory plans to use the additional funding to give parents more flexibility and choice in their treatment options, including bankrolling accredited outside providers."

Hmmm..."bankrolling accredited outside providers".... how far could we go to get "accredited outside provider"? Europe?

And, "to give parents more flexibility and.....CHOICE IN THEIR TREATMENT OPTIONS....." !!!!

Asking for a choice of treatment is how we got in trouble with the group home where Danny was a resident. In 1999 we wrote a letter to the Ministry of Social Services while they were doing an investigation/audit of the management of the group home. In that letter we just wanted "a choice of treatment without prejudice". The consequences were tragic and unexpected. We were threatened, the more we asked the management to stop the use of drugs on Danny he was given more, against our objections and we had to consent under duress. Further, in retribution, Danny was targeted for all sort of abuses. Appalled caring caregivers let me know of every detail and of every bruise found in his body. The abuse was severe.

By Victoria's Day of 2004, I could see that Danny was at the end of his rope, lashing out blindly to everybody, anybody, so badly that a caring caregiver said to me "I can't take care of your son. I don't feel safe with him anymore. He is being primed for violence." I wanted to bring him home but I was leery of doing it, remembering all the threats, so when a member of administration hand Danny over to me and I just run with him.