David Coon, MLA/Député

 Mr. Coon: As the Minister of Education well knows, the rate of autism has been increasing by leaps and bounds but our services have not been keeping up. While we have a very effective Early Intervention Program for preschoolers, the average age of diagnosis for autism for children who are not severely autistic is age 8, while they are in elementary school. Parents whose children are diagnosed in school do not have access to the same kind of help and therapy for their children as is provided for the preschoolers. I fear that the budget cuts will actually set these children and other vulnerable children back further as large numbers of teacher mentors are being eliminated. Does the Minister of Education plan to do anything to provide therapy to autistic children who are first diagnosed while they are in elementary school?

 L’hon. M. Rousselle : Tout d’abord, je veux remercier le député de Fredericton-Sud pour sa question concernant un sujet très important; c’est un dossier auquel mon ministère travaille très, très fort et auquel on doit continuer à travailler fort. Oui, l’étape préscolaire est très importante, et c’est pour cette raison que notre ministère s’assure d’offrir un diagnostic aux jeunes et, par la suite, 20 heures de suivi pour nous assurer qu’ils puissent entrer dans le système scolaire. Par la suite, lorsque ces jeunes entrent dans le système scolaire, nous donnons une formation très importante, qui, d’ailleurs, vient d’être reconnue dans les provinces de l’Atlantique, puisque les autres provinces de cette région veulent bénéficier de notre programme. Dans ce cadre-là, je sais que nous avons fait des réductions, mais, lorsque nous regardons au montant que nous avons mis cette année dans notre budget pour tout ce qui a trait aux enfants qui ont été diagnostiqués comme ayant le spectre…

Mr.Speaker: Time, minister.

Mr. Coon: Autistic children can also struggle with mental illness, on top of their autism, while they are in school, creating a very difficult situation for both the children and their parents. Parents in these situations have discovered what parents of non-autistic children who have been diagnosed with a mental illness have discovered—that psychotherapy is not a publicly funded medical treatment, whether you are in school or out. This is not just a nice-to-have option. It is a frontline treatment for mental illness, and it should be publicly funded. In 2012, Canada’s Mental Health Commission estimated that only one child in four was receiving support and treatment when he or she needed it. In other words, our health system is ignoring 75% of children in need. Imagine if our health system ignored 75% of childhood cancers. It would be a scandal. For a start, will the Minister of Education request the Minister of Health to extend public funding for psychologists and clinical social workers to provide treatment for autistic students in the school system who are also suffering from mental illness?

L’hon. M. Rousselle : Voilà une autre excellente question de la part du député de FrederictonSud. Comme il le sait, il y a deux volets ici. Dans le système scolaire, nous continuons à investir en ce qui a trait aux problèmes de santé mentale. Malheureusement, c’est une réalité, et, cette année, mon ministère a encore ajouté de l’argent dans ce volet. Également, comme le sait très bien le député, dans le cadre de la prestation des services intégrés, il y a eu un projet pilote dans le comté de Charlotte et dans la Péninsule acadienne également, et nous sommes en train de regarder à étendre ce programme dans d’autres régions. De mai jusqu’à octobre, nous tiendrons des consultations, et notre intention est vraiment d’étendre ce programme d’ici 2018, comme nous l’avons promis, afin d’avoir ces services intégrés partout dans la province. Donc, oui, nous travaillons avec le ministère de la Santé et nous allons continuer à le faire. Toutefois, il ne s’agit pas seulement de ce ministère, car plusieurs autres participent à ces services intégrés. Notre engagement est ferme : Nous allons étendre ces services à la grandeur de la province.

Mr. Speaker: Time, minister.

Mr. Coon: Children with autism in the school system, of course, can stay there until age 21, but when they exit, there is no support whatsoever. There is nowhere for them to go. They cannot care for themselves. If their parents are unable to care for them, autistic adults in this situation are put in nursing homes or in the Restigouche Hospital Center or, in a few cases, sent across the border to Maine. We need a residential facility in New Brunswick, staffed by trained professionals, for autistic adults needing care. The Minister of Health told this House that this government could multitask and address our fiscal challenges while meeting needs that were not being met. This is a need that is not being met. Will this government ask the new committee on social policy to hold public hearings to review available autism services and provide actionable recommendations to the Executive Council to address the needs of autistic children, from diagnosis through school to adulthood?

Hon. Mr. Boudreau: The member opposite has raised several issues around mental health, and I want to remind him that there is an action plan on mental health. It was put in place a while back. We are committed to the full implementation of that plan. We continue to work on the basis of that plan. There have been investments in this year’s budget to move that plan forward. We will continue to move that plan forward. We are also going to start work on what the next mental health plan will be. 012 9:40 This is a priority of the government. We have been in office but a few months. We were elected for a four-year mandate, and we are committed to meeting the commitments that we made in our platform. The Action Plan for Mental Health is a priority for this government, and we will continue to implement its various initiatives.

S:\HANSARD\HANSARD DAILIES – FASCICULES\2014-2015 58-1\59 2015-05-29 BL\59 2015-0529 OQ BL.wpd 7/13 ORAL QUESTIONS 52 QUESTIONS ORALES May 29, 2015 Not finalized / Non finalisé le 29 mai 2015