Canada's National Autism Strategy: What You Need to Know

Canada has officially launched its National Autism Strategy, a framework aimed at improving the diagnosis, treatment, and support of autistic Canadians. In this blog post, written by Hajer Chalghoumi, Ph.D., we'll explore what this strategy means for the community, its implications, and what comes next. Learn why a National Autism Strategy is needed, what it entails, and how it will make a real difference in the lives of autistic Canadians and their families.

On March 28, 2023, Bill S-203, the Federal Framework on Autism Spectrum Disorder Act, received Royal Assent after unanimously clearing the House of Commons. This is a historic moment for Canada as it officially launches Canada's long-awaited National Autism Strategy that seeks to create a Canada-wide framework for better diagnosis, treatment, and support for the autistic community.

In this blog post, we'll explore what the National Autism Strategy means, its implications, and its next steps. 

For this blog, we will use identity-first language. However, we respect all members of the autism community and how they prefer to be referred to. 

Why we need a National Autism Strategy

In Canada, 1 in 66 Canadians is autistic. Autism is the fastest-growing and most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in Canada. Unfortunately, autistic Canadian face many challenges in accessing services and support, including but not limited to long wait times for support and fragmented and inconsistent services and funding from one province to another. Thus, people within the autism community and their allies have called for years for a dedicated National Autism Strategy to address the inequities and complexity of issues faced by Autistic Canadians and their diverse needs. 

What is the National Autism Strategy, and what does it mean for the autistic community

Introduced by Senator Jim Munson in 2018, Bill S-203 is a significant step forward in establishing a coordinated National Autism Strategy for providing consistent and meaningful support for autistic Canadians. Bill S-203 outlines the strategy and states several meaningful actions. These include identifying measures to provide timely and equitable access to diagnosis, financial support, improved research, and national acceptance campaigns to enhance understanding and acceptance of autism. Canada's National Autism Strategy will cover critical reform areas, including access to services, healthcare, education, and employment. This strategy will guide a more coordinated, national approach to supporting autistic people at each stage of life. With a growing number of autistic children transitioning to adulthood or other autistic adults ageing, this strategy will expand the scope of support to include long-term solutions for people over 18 years old who often age out of provincial programs. Ultimately, the goal of the National Autism Strategy is to ensure that autistic Canadians can live their best lives in an environment of understanding, acceptance, and inclusion.

What is next?

The passing of Bill S-203 demonstrates Canada's commitment to creating a more inclusive society for individuals from the autistic community. It is a significant step in promoting autism acceptance and support in Canada. There is still much work to be done to address the needs of the autistic community in Canada fully. However, launching the development of the National Autism Strategy is a promising step in the right direction. With the development of this strategy being informed by the experiences of autistic people, their families and carers, researchers and those who work to support them, this strategy will potentially make a real difference in the lives of autistic Canadians and their families.

#AutismCanada #AutisticCommunity #CanadianFamilies

_______

References

Learn more about Bill S-203: https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/44-1/s-203

Learn more about Canada’s National Autism Strategy Updates and related federal initiatives: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/autism-spectrum-disorder-asd/national-strategy.html