- 20/05/2015
- Posted by: Mike Hedges MS
- Category: Uncategorized
MIKE HEDGES WELCOMES NEW MEASURES TO IMPROVE AUTISM SERVICES IN WALES
A new one-year plan to address priorities for action for children, young people and adults with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) has been published by the Welsh Labour Government.
Mike Hedges said… ‘I welcome these new measures to support people with Autism and improve the services they receive. I have met families who have waited a long time for a diagnosis and the funding aimed at reducing this period is particularly welcome. I also welcome the money allocated to improving education outcomes for people with Autism and improving their employment prospects.’
The new interim delivery plan is backed by £600,000 of funding, which is in addition to the £880,000 ASD infrastructure grant which was transferred into the local authority revenue settlement grant this year. The Welsh Labour Government is also investing £2m to develop specific services to better diagnose and support young people with ADHD and ASD. This will reduce waiting times in specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) so those with highest levels of clinical need are seen in a more timely manner.
The Welsh Labour Government’s ASD Strategic Action Plan was published in 2008 and since then more than £12m has been made available to support its implementation. Ministers have made a commitment to refresh the action plan and a stakeholder advisory group was set up to support its development.
The interim delivery plan will take forward the most pressing actions identified by the advisory group during the development of the refreshed ASD action plan.
These include:
• Addressing delays in diagnosis and improving ASD diagnostic pathways
• developing options for an integrated service to identify unmet need and address the most acute gaps in services and support
• improving education and employment outcomes including transition
• developing awareness raising and professional training materials and resources.
Ends.
