GREAT NEWS!

My company, Connect Therapy, has just been approved by the Australian Government as an official autism service provider under the “Helping Children With Autism” package.

I realise that most of our non-Australian readers will have no idea what this means.

So what does it mean?

The Australian Government has committed $190 Million to help support families with children aged 0-6 who have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Essentially, families will be able to access up to $12,000 of funding to pay for approved early intervention services for their child.

So this is wonderful news for families, and the Australian autism community is very thankful for the government’s action.

It’s also very nice for Connect Therapy to be recognised in this way after years of service and dedication to helping families with autism… we can’t ask for a better endorsement than from the government

But as you can imagine…

Like most government departments, there was a mountain of paperwork, regulations and hoops to jump through to even be considered. However I’m happy to say that we successfully met all of the criteria and are now proud to be an approved service provider with the program.

So now that we’re an approved provider…

THE SINGLE BIGGEST QUESTION I’ve been getting from families has been…

“Can we use our funding to purchase the Autism Essentials DVD Training Program, even if Connect Therapy is not one of our registered service providers?”



The answer is YES. But not directly.
You just need to understand how the system works…

How to use your funding to purchase autism resources

Step 1 – Firstly, you need to be eligible and approved to access the funding in order to receive services from an approved service provider.

Step 2 – Once you are working with an approved provider, find the resource/s you would like to purchase and ask your provider to incorporate them into your child’s treatment plan.

Note: Your provider will need to endorse the resources in order to recommend that they be included in your child’s treatment plan. Most providers should be happy to work with you to maximise your funding and get all the help you can!

However, if your provider is unfamiliar with a particular resource and is reluctant to endorse it, try contacting the creators of the resource and ask them to speak with your provider so they might at least get a better understanding of how it could help.

Step 3 – Your provider orders the resources from the supplier on your behalf and claims the cost of them using your funding.

Note: The Autism Association of NSW has already purchased a few of our Autism Essentials Programs on behalf of their clients using the grant funding.

So it’s really pretty straightforward. It’s just a matter of knowing how the system works!


IMPORTANT!

If you live in Australia and haven’t already applied for the funding, then I would strongly recommend that you do so. You definitely don’t want to miss out!

Further information about the Helping Children with Autism Package available from www.fahcsia.gov.au, www.health.gov.au/autism and www.dest.gov.au/schools/autism

If you live outside Australia then I would also encourage you to inquire about any grants or funding initiatives that may be available in your country. Your first call should probably be to your national Health Department.


So to wrap this up. This is excellent news for Australian families. If your child is 0-6 years of age and has already received a diagnosis of ASD, then get going, apply for the funding and track down the best programs and services to help your child as soon as you can. Because I imagine the waiting lists for many services might be overflowing!

best wishes
Monique

PS: If you are stuck on waiting lists then the Autism Essentials Training Program can be and great resource if you need immediate access to a program that will rapidly increase your knowledge and skills and help you gain an in depth understanding of your child and how you can best help them. What’s more it will nicely complement and enhance any programs that you are already doing.

PPS: If you live in Sydney and are interested in using your funding to do our intensive 4 month In-home Therapy Program (with me as your therapist), then please register your interest early to avoid long waiting periods. The cost of the full program is $4,500 and is fully claimable using your funding.

PPPS: I’ll be back with more autism tips and strategies next week!  Promise

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