Second Meeting - Minutes

Firstly, let's welcome aboard out our additional contributors, Kevin Lee & Stephen Lew. Thank you for your help. :)

Agenda
To establish a goal, refine survey questions to ascertain public perception

Goal
To successfully raise awareness by providing an accessible platform for the dissemination of comprehensible information by June 2008.

Survey
Please click here for the survey. If you received a soft copy of it, please send your response to 4autism@gmail.com

Info Update - Subsidies
Jermaine has provided an article on ABA therapy, please refer to emails. Lynne has also sent us information regarding Pathlight as follows:

Pathlight Background
- Autism-focused school that offers mainstream academic curriculum with life readiness skills
- Serves primarily children with autism and related disorders, who are cognitively able to access mainstream academics. Must be aged 6 to 16 years old.
- began operations in January 2004
- 41 to more than 240 students in 24 months.

School Fees/Subsidies
1)School fees are currently fixed at S$500 per month for Singapore citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents.
2) The fees are subject to revision depending on the financial requirements of operations.
3) Families with per capital monthly net household income of $700/- and below may apply for school fees subsidy.

Summary of Referral to Pathlight
1) Singapore citizens and PR are eligible, Foreigners – case by case basis subject to MOE’s approval, Immigration must issue Pass, no Singaporean disabled children on wait list, full fees (4x more), must contribute to Education fund, comprise max 10% of cohort
2) Diagnosis needed in the form of diagnostic or psychological report
3) Mild to moderate severity of autism
4) Non-verbal ability of IQ 70 and above. 70-79 may do a modified curriculum capped at 25% of school population.
5) independent in toileting and feeding
6) should not have major behavioural challenges which will disrupt a class of four.

KK Hospital rates as follows for Child Development Unit (applicable for any type of special needs testing, treatment, etc):
- Private (1st consultation) $129.90 for 60 min
- Private (repeat consultation) $86.60 for 30 min
= Subsidized rates: $30.00 & $20.00 respectively
Xray/specialized investigation
- Private: Itemized Charges
= Subsidized: $7.00 - $95.00 / session

Rehab Services
- Private: Itemized Charges
= Subsidized $11.00 - $65.00 / session

Day Surgery Bed Charges
- Private: $100
= Subsidized: $35
** Subsidised referral applies when a patient:
Is a Singaporean or Singapore PR and referred by a polyclinic or
Is referred by a restructured hospital where the patient is a subsidised patient or
Is discharged from inpatient B2 or C Ward Class

Presbytarian Community Services offers subsidies in centre-based financial assistance schemes for Integrated Childcare Programmes. Subsidized rates rane between $25 - $150/month.

Statistics
Other than this statement from Autism Resource Centre, no other specific figures could be determined. "In Singapore, it is difficult to provide a statistical figure on the actual number of persons affected by autism. Based on recent research, we expect a prevalence rate of 24,000 individuals with autism in our population of 4 million, of which 5,472 are children under the age of 19 years. We estimate that 216 new cases of children with autism are diagnosed annually."

Future
AUTISM RESOURCE CENTRE- planning to offer vocational training and job placement for those above 16years of age. - Part of their plan under Project Platinum (of which Pathlight School is a component) to develop an Employment Development and Enterprise Unit. - Delivery of this service would largely depend on availability of funding and support.

Find Out More
1) Means Testing. Many parents have signed a petition against it. Help is offered to families with extremely low income only. As it stands, people in middle-income families will not be receiving any subsidies from 2010 onwards as they phase in means testing. *refer to notes
2) Elsie has found that the blogger Mr. Brown has an autistic daughter. He has written several of his insights and thoughts on thewhat MOE is doing to help special needs children as well. *perhaps approach him to participate in our cause?
3) Survey demographics - representing the Singaporean population and other factors

Other Contacts
Tian - Suzanna:she will attend our meeting next week (not avail. weds)
- Linda/Chetan: director of Art Beat, art therapist for children (awaiting reply)

Work Delegation
Please refer to last week's list and check your emails now girls. First we need to send out the survey forms to everyone and anyone! Then we need to draw up the 2nd survey for autistic students in integrated programmes, and contact schools that have ASD support. Also, please send me the links and info you already have that I have not included in this post.

Conclusion/Reflection
It is evident that accurate, up-to-date statistics are not easily and readily available to the public, even for us. This is probably the case for families who want to know more about autism statistics too. When we are able to get more specific figures, it will help support our cause for spreading awareness. With autism, anyone can be affected, that is why everyone needs to be more aware.

Our survey to ascertain the public's perception and views regarding autism will also who us the next steps we have to take in terms of educating the public. It is a natural reaction to fear and/or shun what we do not understand. Education will help lessen fears and de-stigmatize autism. As a result, people will be less afraid to seek help.

The second survey for autistic students integrated into mainstream schools will determine whether such an environment is beneficial to them. There is no point in the government spending money on such integration schemes if the students are outcasted or bullied by their schoolmates. We need to ensure that the autistic children are ready for such an integration or it might prove to do more harm than good. At the same time, the other students need to be educated so as to bring about more understanding and acceptance for autism.