IS THE STORY OF THE AUTISTIC CHILD BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION BY THE MEDIA???

Do you care????




KEVIN BISSETT

FREDERICTON (CP) - The fact that an aggressive
autistic teenager is being held at a provincial jail -
even though he's done nothing wrong - shows that New
Brunswick does not have the facilities it needs to
deal with such youths, the province's Opposition
Liberal leader said Wednesday.


Shawn Graham was responding to published reports that
revealed the 13-year-old is living in a "jail
compound" and will be sent out of Canada because there
is no institution in New Brunswick that can handle
him.

"It just strikes home that this government does not
have a strategy for dealing with autistic children in
the province of New Brunswick," Graham said.

The New Brunswick government is challenging the
reports, stressing that the boy is not in jail.

Robert Duguay, spokesman for New Brunswick's
Department of Family and Community Services, said the
boy is being temporarily housed in a cottage on the
grounds of the Miramichi youth jail, but has no
contact with the jail population or staff.

"That's nothing to do with the jail, bars, whatever .
. . It's a safe environment for a child," said Duguay.
"It's a little apartment with a living room, kitchen,
bedrooms, bathroom, everything by itself."

He said the boy had become very aggressive and the
cottage was the only place available on short notice.

But Graham said the government is just trying to put a
positive spin on an embarrassing story.

"No matter how the (Bernard) Lord government tries to
spin it, this child is being housed at a youth
correctional facility, which is a youth jail," he
said.

Harold Doherty, spokesman for the New Brunswick Autism
Society, said the province shouldn't be sending
autistic persons to "prison."

"We should be developing the facilities and training
the people to work with them without resorting to such
a desperate measure," he said. "We shouldn't be
shipping our children out of the country."

The child cannot be named by law because he is under
the care of the Family and Community Services
Department.

Autism is a disorder of brain function that appears
early in life, generally before the age of three.

Children with autism have problems with social
interaction, communication, imagination and behaviour.

Autistic traits persist into adulthood, but vary in
severity.

Duguay said two people are caring for the boy 24 hours
a day, at a cost of about $700 per day.

As well, the boy is scheduled to receive treatment at
a specialized care facility in Augusta, Maine, and
will eventually return to New Brunswick.

Graham said the case is an example why the province
needs a child and youth advocate.

The Liberals have threatened to go to court if the
government doesn't begin advertising for an advocate
this month.

The position was first recommended nearly seven years
ago after a Saint John toddler died from dehydration
while in the care of her parents.

Legislation was passed last year and the position was
supposed to be filled by last April.

However, Justice Minister Brad Green said the
Opposition's refusal to agree to legislative
amendments is causing the delay.

http://www.canadaeast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051019/CPA/47260028