merely talk

So I have absolutely no faith in humanity anymore. I just heard about a ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada on the news. They've denied creating a law making the provinces pay to put more funding towards intensive behavioural therapy for kids diagnosed with Autism.

I understand that there is only so much money to go around, and that our health care is hanging by a thread as is. But this decision is still heartbreaking. I just keep thinking of my kids whose parents can't afford as much treatment as they need. My kids who are almost 6 and can't even speak. The treatment we provide has been proven to work but ideally the children need 40 hours of intervention a week (this includes Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy as well as what I do). The kids I work with get 15 hours on average. Because the BC government barely provides them the means for my pay check, and I'm undercharging.

And to top it all off this decision isn't even going to save the government money. It's so short sighted. If the government provided the money now, when the kids are under 6 years old, there's a much better chance the child will be at the same level, if not a little more advanced than his or her classmates when they reach grade one. Meaning that these kids will be able to live typical lives. Instead, now more kids will be completely dependent on their parents for the rest of their lives and will be institutionalized when their parents are unable to take care of them anymore. Meaning that when these kids are adults they will be costing the government a hell of a lot more money in the future. That's some forward thinking guys!

I would love for those judges to actually meet some of these kids they've just denied. Spend a few hours with them, spend some time with their parents. See what life is like in these homes. And then maybe mental health will become just as important as physical health to the government.