B.C. revamps funding for children with autism and other support needs

BC revamps autism funding

Photo: The Canadian Press

Premier David Eby looks on at Minister for Child Care and Children and Youth with Support Needs Jodi Wickens during the swearing-in ceremony at Government House in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

British Columbia has unveiled a revamp of its funding system for children with support needs, including those with autism, that it says will be "fairer, easier to access and better co-ordinated."

The new framework introduces a complex-needs disability benefit that is based on "functional impact" and not just a diagnosis, while a separate disability supplement will be means tested.

The new funding system announced by Minister for Children and Family Development Jodie Wickens comes after the government faced heavy criticism from parents over a previous attempt to revise the framework in 2021.

The government estimates the new system will provide funding for about 48,000 children, up from about 30,000 under the current system.

It says the new disability benefit, ranging from $6,500 to $17,000 per year, will reach up to 15,000 children with prolonged disability or complex developmental support needs, or those whose needs "create significant challenges in daily life."

An estimated 33,000 children will be eligible for an income-tested monthly supplement for those in lower- and middle-income households, with the supplement cutting off when a one-child family has after-tax income of about $200,000.