Call to Action 1 - Access To Diagnosis
We call for continued support for families and individuals to access
timely and affordable diagnosis for both regional and rural South Australia
that is governed by the following principles:
- No more than 3 months waiting time for a diagnosis
- An established benchmark for a multi-disciplinary diagnostic team responsible for the process of diagnosis.
- Currently there is a 5-12 month waiting list across South Australia
- A time delay creates additional frustration and stress on family members who are living with the pressures of raising a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Diagnosis is the critical starting point for families to access intervention support services which maximise positive outcomes for both the child and family
- Diagnosis is often at the family’s expense and cost is often prohibitive
- Diagnosis is difficult to obtain in rural and remote areas.
Progress
The Minister for Disability committed $180 000 “one-off” funding in 2005/06. As a result, the diagnostic wait list at Autism SA fell from an average of 6-7 months to an average of 3-4 months at the end of June 2006. However, a 51% increase in referrals in the 2005/06 financial year indicates the need for continued levels of appropriate funding.
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