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Autism controversy, confusion and what lies ahead for Ontario families

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Lisa MacLeod, minister of children, community and social services, said sweeping changes are necessary to clear the therapy wait list of 23,000 kids within 18 months and make the program fiscally sustainable.

“Today, almost three out of every four children who require autism supports continue to be stranded on wait lists,” she told reporters at a Feb. 6 news conference in Toronto. “We are introducing reforms to provide them with the fairness and equality they deserve.”

The Star consulted experts, advocates and government officials and websites to answer some questions about autism and what lies ahead for Ontario families.

Five regional centres across Ontario, including Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, have behaviour analysts who are specially trained to diagnose children from about age 2.

Evidence shows that when children start behavioural intervention between ages 2 and 5, they gain improvements in cognitive and language development, are better prepared for school and have better long-term outcomes in adulthood, the ministry notes.

There are currently 2,400 children waiting — many for up to two years — for a publicly funded diagnosis from one of the five diagnostic hubs. Families unwilling to wait can pay for a diagnosis from a trained professional.

What is the government doing about the wait list for diagnosis?

The government has doubled funding for diagnostic hubs to $5.5 million over two years to ensure children are being diagnosed in a timely way.

How many children in Ontario have autism?

The latest research shows roughly 1 in 66 Ontario children have autism, or about 40,000 kids under age 18.

How many children are being treated now?

About 8,400 children are receiving needs-based treatment funded by the Ontario Autism Program, set up in 2017 by the previous Liberal government.

What is the bill for taxpayers?

The annual budget is $321 million. The government added an additional $100 million this year. But MacLeod has said it is one-time funding and changes are needed to make the program fair for families and sustainable for taxpayers.

What is Applied Behavioural Analysis, or ABA therapy?

ABA is the most effective evidence-based treatment for children with autism and is used with varying intensity, depending on a child’s needs.

The therapy uses repetition and positive reinforcement to help children master life and social skills, such as dressing and having a conversation. In intense intervention, therapists work one-on-one with children to break down skills into small teachable steps. Once a skill has been mastered, the therapist works on helping the child use the skill in a natural setting.

For example, a child may be taught to request a favourite toy during a therapy session and then be encouraged to repeat the skill during a play date.

How much does it cost?

Children diagnosed with moderate to severe autism may require between 20 and 40 hours a week of ABA therapy, which can cost between $50,000 and $80,000 a year.

What is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA)?

A BCBA holds a master’s degree in a related field such as psychology, behaviour analysis or education. To become “board certified,” — an American certification — individuals must complete about two years of formal training in behaviour analysis, 1,500 hours of supervised practice and pass board exams.

For some children, ABA therapy is overseen by a clinical supervisor with a PhD in behaviour analysis or related field.

How is the government planning to clear the therapy wait list?

Instead of needs-based funding for a few children, managed by regional service agencies, the government will give money directly to all families so they can choose the services they want.

Funding will be capped based on age and targeted to lower- and middle-income families.

How can the money be used?

Unlike the previous program that limited public funds to evidence-based ABA therapy and parent training only, families will be able to use the money on “behavioural services such as assessments and consultations, family/caregiver capacity building and training, respite services, technology aids, and travel,” the government’s website says.

Does the government regulate behavioural therapists like nurses and doctors?

No. By April 1, the government will create an online list of “verified qualified service providers” that will be available to help families access behavioural services, according to the website. Before April 2021, families can work with clinical supervisors who are not on the list, as long as they are working towards their qualifications. After that time, all clinical supervisors will have to meet program qualifications.

How will families get their money?

Currently, parents apply to one of nine regional autism service agencies for either publicly funded behaviour therapy, or for funding they can use to buy services from private clinics. The amount of therapy or direct funding a family receives is based on the severity of the child’s diagnosis and the behaviour plan drawn up by a recognized professional. Families are served in order of their application date.

Under the new model, families will receive autism program funding through an independent intake agency which the ministry says will be set up within the next year. The new agency will help families register for the program, assess their funding eligibility, approve their “childhood budgets” and help them choose which services to purchase.

Families will no longer need a behaviour plan because funding will be based solely on their child’s age and household income.

Starting April 1, kids under age 6 will receive up to $20,000 a year. Those over 6 will get $5,000 a year. Childhood budgets up to age 18 will be capped at $140,000 for kids entering the program under age 6 while lifetime funding for those entering at older ages will be limited to $55,000.

Funding will be income-tested with more money going to lower-income families. Although the ministry has not yet said what family income would receive the full amount, households above $250,000 will no longer qualify for funding.

Eligibility and the amount of funding a family receives will be reviewed annually, according to the ministry website.

Details on how families will receive their funding, eligible expenses and the reconciliation process will be available by April, 1, according to ministry officials.

How will the program be managed until the new intake agency is set up?

Starting April 1, government officials will help families register for the new childhood budgets, although it is not yet clear how they will get access to the wait lists, which are currently held by the nine regional service agencies. Nor is it clear how newly diagnosed children will be registered.

“All these details are still being worked out and will be available before April 1,” a government official said.

What happens to the 8,400 families already receiving publicly funded services?

New behaviour plans will continue to be developed until March 31, according to the government. If existing behaviour plans end after that date, government officials will help families apply for a childhood budget.

Ministry officials say there are no plans to put children currently receiving support back onto a wait list. All children who have a behaviour plan will continue to receive the services outlined in that plan until the plan’s end date.

Any money families have already received through the Ontario autism program will not be deducted from the new childhood budgets.

Families with questions can call the province’s toll-free autism services line at 1-888-284-8340 or consult ontario.ca/autism

Laurie Monsebraaten is a Toronto-based reporter covering social justice. Follow her on Twitter: @lmonseb

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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