A B.C. family says a recent eligibility letter for the Children and Youth Disability Benefit does not ease fears that upcoming election results could affect their funding.
The Story
Families of children with autism and other disabilities say they want voters to consider how provincial changes to disability supports will affect services before the upcoming election.
The B.C. NDP announced in February that it would end the B.C. Autism Funding Program and replace it with the B.C. Children and Youth Disability Benefit.
The changes are scheduled to take effect on April 1, with the stated outcome that some families supporting children with autism could lose funding while others managing different conditions would benefit.
Noah Kubiak-Gore, a two-year-old triplet, has cerebral palsy. His father, Matt Gore, said the family received a letter a few weeks ago indicating they were approved for new funding under the Children and Youth Disability Benefit, but that they have not yet received the money.
Gore said he worries that if the government changes and the program is rolled back, their funding could be taken away. He added that the family has received the welcome letter indicating they are eligible.
On the campaign trail, the provincial Conservatives say children like Noah will continue to receive financial assistance. Carson Binda, the Conservative Party of BC candidate for Vancouver-Quilchena, said: "If you are diagnosed with one of those other conditions, we are not gonna pull the rug out from under you and we’re going to ensure that you continue to have access to that funding."
Binda also said the Conservatives would continue to "fund autism support programs for children and youth with autism." He added that families eligible for funding now would remain eligible if the Conservatives form government, and that children diagnosed after the election would be eligible for the same supports as children diagnosed before.
CentreBC’s platform includes re-examining eligibility and income thresholds for the children and youth disability benefit and supplement.
The B.C. Greens said they would maintain current autism funding while planning supports for the broader disability community.
The province estimates that about 120,000 children and young people in B.C. live with disabilities.
← More stories