(Canada) NS: "Health Department said it is spending about $15.7M on autism services...this year"

Dec 7, 2017, 680 News, Nova Scotia, Canada: Nova Scotia premier says extreme autism cases merit additional support http://www.680news.com/2017/12/07/nova-scotia-premier-says-extreme-autism-cases-merit-additional-support/ Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil says a “national conversation” on autism is needed, but the province must examine existing programs to provide additional support for families who need help. McNeil reacted Thursday to questions about Carly and John Sutherland, a Halifax-area couple who say there is a lack of supports and programs to help with their nine-year-old son Callum, who struggles with a type of autism that results in violent outbursts…. Nova Scotia’s Health Department said it is spending about $15.7 million on autism services in the province this year. The figure includes $300,000 for Autism Nova Scotia to expand resource centres, particularly in rural areas. There is also $500,000 for an early intervention pilot program to help parents before their children go into the pre-school Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention program. In an interview this week, Health Minister Randy Delorey said the range of conditions and individual needs on the autism spectrum make for challenges when it comes to funding specific needs. “I think it does sometime take time to get the right balance (of supports) for individuals, particularly for those individuals on the upper end of the spectrum,” he said. “Individuals do come together across (government) departments to try to find the right solution, working with the families to do that.”