The Campaign
Autismawareness.com.au is a not-for-profit parent run organisation established to foster public awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We support scientifically validated treatment methods for early intervention and education; appropriate age specific services aimed toward adolescents and adults with autism; and the funding of research. We encourage increased public funding and access to autism specific services.
In our role as a health promotion charity, Autismawareness.com.au is a sponsor of the www.1000hours.com.au - a campaign which provides information and an electronic platform for carers, health professionals and the public to comment on the Federal Government's Helping Children with Autism package (released 3 October 2007).
In 2006, the Federal Government released a report entitled "A review of the research to identify the most effective models of practice in early intervention of children with autism spectrum disorders" – which concluded - "to be successful early intervention needs to be extensive and intensive. A minimum of 20 hours a week over two or more years is essential for young children to make major gains". At present, there is no Federal funding for such programs.
A recent study into autism's prevalence by the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders, found that 1 in 160 Australian children (between the ages of 6 and 12) have an ASD. The report's findings could mean that as many as 125,000 people may have some form of ASD in Australia!
"What other condition affects 30 000 Australian children and their families, costs the community $7 billion per annum, and receives little or no Federal Government funding?"
Australia lags behind many other first world nations in appreciating the substantial benefits to be gained from effective evidence based treatments such as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) or Speech and Language therapy and falls significantly short in the funding of such appropriate treatments.
Accessing effective treatment for children with autism currently requires a family to make huge financial sacrifices, often over many years. Families who can not meet such intervention costs are faced with excessively long waiting lists in the hope of eventually receiving just a few hours of intervention per week.
Autismawareness.com.au will gather information from and give information to its membership of carers, health professionals and the public which are affected by autism. This information will be made available to the Federal Government to provide a direct voice from the autism-affected community and assist in making public policy decisions that will better meet the needs of people with ASD and comply with world's best practice.
We urge the Federal Government to consider services:
- to enable specialist autism providers to bulk bill through Medicare;
- to provide funding to autism specific services for expansion of such services and training of specialist staff;
- to provide funding for practical support and employment services for adolescents and adults with autism;
- to provide appropriate options for residential accommodation for adults with autism.
- the establishment of an Advisory Board of reputable autism specialists to determine which interventions and options are based on research, in order to identify and provide access to the most effective.
Autism - No one knows the cause. There is no cure. But there is hope.
If you would like to be part of our campaign please contact us so we can keep you informed.