Local MPP admits changes to autism funding will affect her family

Local MPP affected by autism funding changes From CTV Kitchener’s Nicole Lampa: Conservative MPP Amy Fee admits her family is affected by the autism funding changes.

Kitchener South MPP Amy Fee admits that while she still stands behind her Conservative government’s new autism funding program, her family has been personally affected.

After weeks of being criticized Fee admits she will now have to pay tens of thousands of dollars of her family’s money, to support her children's autism therapies.

Fee says she has two autistic children, and their combined costs for therapy are close to $110,000 per year.

Her children are covered under the province’s current autism program, but under the new plan, families will only be given $5,000 a year, per child for coverage.

Fee admits she will now have to use $100,000 of her own money, to cover autism services for her children.

“It’s about continuing on with our line of credit. We have a line of credit already that has had a lot of therapy and other costs associated with raising children with autism that are there. And then asking family for supports, and just watching where we are spending money and doing the best that we can. And looking for the therapies and the experts that are most beneficial to them,” said Kitchener South MPP Amy Fee.

Fee says she still supports the provincial government’s move, saying it will eliminate the large wait list of children waiting to be diagnosed.

Some recent changes were made to the new program last week, including getting rid of income testing and extending the transition period.

The program goes into effect April 1.