MEDIA RELEASE: 1 Nov. 2019 – R00172
When the Ontario government this week introduced a new plan for autism services, reversing its earlier proposal that sparked waves of protests, it was acting on the recommendations of an advisory panel. Brock University Assistant Professor Julie Koudys was a member of that panel and is available for media interviews.
Koudys, Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Disability Studies at Brock University, served as a member of the 20-person Ontario Autism Program Advisory Panel, which was convened by the provincial government in the spring of 2019.
In developing its recommendations for the province’s autism program, the Panel considered feedback from individuals across Ontario provided in online surveys, townhalls, meetings with government officials and written submissions, in addition to its own discussions and deliberations.
“The report includes numerous recommendations for supports and services that will help children and youth from the point of diagnosis until the transition into adult services, including recommendations for better integration of services across education and health,” said Koudys.
“I hope that all affected Ministries — Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Long-term Care — will work together to implement recommendations across all sectors.”
Koudys is a clinical psychologist and board-certified behaviour analyst who has provided clinical supervision in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI) for almost 20 years. She is an active member of the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysts, currently serving as chair of the Ethics and Jurisprudence Committee and the Ontario Scientific Expert Committee for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Julie Koudys is available for media interviews and can be reached at jkoudys@brocku.ca
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
Kevin Cavanagh, Brock University Communications, kcavanagh@brocku.ca or 905-688-5550 ext. 5888 or 905 321-4310
Michelle Pressé, Brock University Communications, mpresse@brocku.ca or 905-688-5550 ext. 4420 or 905-246-1963
