ICYMI:
Update:
According to government's published numbers of AFU kids, it's actually closer to TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND kids being removed from stable, accessible funding, by @davidebybc.bsky.social @jodiewickens.bsky.social @bcnewdemocrats.bsky.social @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social.
#BCEd #BCPoli
A four panel comic. In the centre of each panel, we see a hand, rising up out of a blue body of water, grasping for help. In the top left panel, the hand is set against a blue sky, and above it we captioned in white, all caps lettering: PARENTS OF AUTISTIC AND OTHERWISE DISABLED KIDS IN BC In the top right panel, the hand is still reaching, and still against a blue sky, but this time from the top left, we see a hand reaching in, as though to help; above this, captioned in white, all caps lettering: DAVID EBY: "We will work support all disabled kids, and we won't take away stability from Autistic kids" In the bottom left panel, this time the sky is pink, and the hand ostensibly there to give help, is actually just giving a high five to the struggling one; above this, captioned in white, all caps lettering: DAVID EBY: "SYKE" In the bottom right panel, the sky is blue again, the 'helping hand' has disappeared, and the original hand is now foundering.
In 2022, @davidebybc.bsky.social promised that he would maintain stable funding for Autistic kids in BC.
He lied.
Another broken promise in a long line of broken @bcnewdemocrats.bsky.social promises.
#BCEd #BCPoli #BrokenPromises #FairFundingForAll #SYKE
@jodiewickens.bsky.social
Well I'll be damned.
@bcndp.bsky.social MLAs *CAN* stop toeing the party line, display integrity, and stand up to inequity.
Amazing.
How about it, @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social?
How about doing the same and standing up for the 26,000+ Autistic kids you're planning to shunt off of equitable funding?
Governments of British Columbia have never seemed fully committed to the reconciliation between the province and Indigenous peoples; rather, B.C. governments were and are committed to telling everyone how committed they are to reconciliation.
www.timescolonist.com/local-news/b...
OMG - yes! Solidarity!
When they broadcast the shot of the rocket against the blue sky, I held my breath; afterward, I turned to my teen and said 'everyone who grew up in the 80s just held their breath, too'. 😭
3 tables showing total expected hospitalizations since Dec 2/21 by province (error range -/+ 10%), total expected ICU admissions since Dec 2/21 by province (error range -/+ 10%), and total expected deaths since Dec 2/21 by province (error range -/+ 10%) Tables available at: https://covid19resources.ca/covid-hazard-index Page 19 (Reported deaths, ICU, hospitalizations by age)
Graph showing Estimated new daily infections resulting in daily life activity-limiting symptoms lasting >3 months, by province, since Dec 2021. (5 week rolling averages) Graph available at: https://covid19resources.ca/covid-hazard-index Page 13 (Long COVID)
Infections in Canada this week are expected to result in 2,000 hospitalizations, 380 premature deaths (people who die at least 1 year earlier than they would without COVID) and 13,000 new long COVID cases serious enough to limit daily life activities.
I mean.
Duh.
Same in #BCPoli, but obsequious, ladder climbing PH reps would have you believe that our excess deaths are all due to a different PH failure, and not the ongoing pandemic-even when datasets adjusted for other deaths prove otherwise. Misinfo to curry favour from their misinfo leaders.
There Is a Disability Hierarchy. And It’s Costing Us Our Lives
"...Forced to argue whose disability is harder, more severe, or more deserving. That fragmentation is not accidental. It is strategic. Divide the community, and equity becomes easier to deny." ablenews.com/there-is-a-d...
Screencap of the abstract from the linked article, black text on white background, reads: Abstract Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) may result in improved cognitive, adaptive and social functioning and reductions in autism severity and behavioral problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For a subset of children, normal functioning may be the result. However, due to the intensity (20-40 h per week for 3 years with a low child staff ratio) implementation costs are high and can be controversial. Estimated costs for education, (supported) work and (sheltered) living for individuals with ASD in The Netherlands are applied in a cost-offset model. A compelling argument for the provision of EIBI is long term savings which are approximately € 1,103,067 from age 3 to 65 years per individual with ASD. Extending these costs to the whole Dutch ASD population, cost savings of € 109.2-€ 182 billion have been estimated, excluding costs associated with inflation.
Cost comparison of early intensive behavioral intervention and treatment as usual for children with autism spectrum disorder in The Netherlands:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
The global burden of s*icide mortality among people on the autism spectrum: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and extension of estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Risks Associated With Undiagnosed ADHD and/or Autism: A Mixed-Method Systematic Review: journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
"... autistic people without [LD/ID] are up to five times more likely to die by s*icide than non-autistic people. Around 1 in 4 autistic people may attempt s*icide at some point.... around 1 in 37 people in the general population may attempt s*icide." www.autismresearchcentre.com/projects/the...
Important reminder: @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social are removing
EIGHTEEN THOUSAND
disabled Autistic kids from AFU, into an inequitable, inaccessible, income-tested pgm; meaning many 'missing middle' families -earning $50K net/yr and up- will exp a CoL increase, and/or loss of long est. supports. #BCPoli
Important to note here that, while these graphics deal directly with AFU funded children, there are disabled children who are not autistic, who will *also* see a reduction in funding and supports under the new model. But those families are being silenced in the crossfire focused on AFU.
Gov't gfx show: @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social are removing 18,000 disabled Autistic kids from AFU, into an inequitable, inaccessible, income-tested pgm; many 'missing middle' fams earning $50K net/yr and up will exp a CoL increase, and/or loss of long est supports. #BCPoli
www.tiktok.com/@clearancesc...
![SARS1 Report screencap black text on beige BG reads:
"SARS Commission Final Report: Volume Two + Spring of Fear
The Story of SARS
The travel advisory was sort of a shift in the whole psychology in the city, and all of a sudden everyone was together. I mean when the travel advisory came down it was the City, the Province, Health Canada, everybody was outraged and fighting together, and when the travel advisory turned back, everybody celebrated about that, and then, once everybody was getting back to normal ... there should have been somebody that says, well what do you mean it's getting better? Nobody questioned it. [Dr.] Jim Young went off to China to talk about our successes and how we controlled it and [Dr.] Bonnie
Henry went with him and [Dr.] Tony [Mazzulli] went with him and nobody said, well how do you know its over, including myself. None of us said that, well, just because. And it is such a simple question to ask and we blew it. I mean, it is just amazing that everyone blew it."
Also, sidebar, noting: Noting: they [BCNDP/gov't] don't want to replace her, because she has the same values as they do: money money money, no matter the cost to actual living people.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:jhrnmc6lne424j6fsaldc2vz/bafkreiexyhfmofmll3vbmdj5jqes5u6czq4f672elggbnv4n7jd5u5qtey)
SARS1 Report screencap black text on beige BG reads: "SARS Commission Final Report: Volume Two + Spring of Fear The Story of SARS The travel advisory was sort of a shift in the whole psychology in the city, and all of a sudden everyone was together. I mean when the travel advisory came down it was the City, the Province, Health Canada, everybody was outraged and fighting together, and when the travel advisory turned back, everybody celebrated about that, and then, once everybody was getting back to normal ... there should have been somebody that says, well what do you mean it's getting better? Nobody questioned it. [Dr.] Jim Young went off to China to talk about our successes and how we controlled it and [Dr.] Bonnie Henry went with him and [Dr.] Tony [Mazzulli] went with him and nobody said, well how do you know its over, including myself. None of us said that, well, just because. And it is such a simple question to ask and we blew it. I mean, it is just amazing that everyone blew it." Also, sidebar, noting: Noting: they [BCNDP/gov't] don't want to replace her, because she has the same values as they do: money money money, no matter the cost to actual living people.
Setting aside her early 2020 "you can still ski" BS, when every other province was like 'wait a second, maybe we should think about prevention here,' plus ça change (how many times does history have to repeat before either she is replaced, or she learns to follow science?):
SARS1 Report screencap black text on beige BG reads: "SARS Commission Final Report: Volume Two + Spring of Fear The Story of SARS The travel advisory was sort of a shift in the whole psychology in the city, and all of a sudden everyone was together. I mean when the travel advisory came down it was the City, the Province, Health Canada, everybody was outraged and fighting together, and when the travel advisory turned back, everybody celebrated about that, and then, once everybody was getting back to normal ... there should have been somebody that says, well what do you mean it's getting better? Nobody questioned it. [Dr.] Jim Young went off to China to talk about our successes and how we controlled it and [Dr.] Bonnie Henry went with him and [Dr.] Tony [Mazzulli] went with him and nobody said, well how do you know its over, including myself. None of us said that, well, just because. And it is such a simple question to ask and we blew it. I mean, it is just amazing that everyone blew it." Also, sidebar, noting: Noting: they [BCNDP/gov't] don't want to replace her, because she has the same values as they do: money money money, no matter the cost to actual living people.
Setting aside her early 2020 "you can still ski" BS, when every other province was like 'wait a second, maybe we should think about prevention here,' plus ça change (how many times does history have to repeat before either she is replaced, or she learns to follow science?):
Screencap of a news article, black text on white background, reads: Preventative measures with spring travels ahead While the health officer has declared an end to the illness season, she's also reminding people to practice preventative measures, especially with spring break travels ahead for many. "It's important that you continue to clean your hands regularly using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and cover sneezes and coughs. These practices help keep you, your families and your communities safe, healthy and happy." "And as spring break approaches and many families are travelling, I remind you to check that your and your family's vaccines are up to date."
Super encouraging that the science in #BCPoli still hasn’t advanced, and @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social’s PHO still believes we breathe through our hands (and that she controls all viruses, to service travel & tourism season)! 😆😆
BC continues to be a scientific backwater.
Heartwarming scene:
Black Cyber Truck driving past local school, at the end of recess.
A large amount of children run for the school’s fence, yelling “boo” and giving the thumbs down gesture.
🥰
All of the newbies are up in arms about yesterday's time change announcement - and it's funny, because this is just literally the party's M.O.
. @davidebybc.bsky.social's @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social has never met a piece of evidence or science they didn't like to ignore, hey?
COVID is Airborne; masks, clean air work✅
Safe Supply works✅
Decriminalization works✅
Early Intervention (Autism) works✅
Standard Time is the better option (not DST)✅
This sounds familiar coughCBC+VCHcough.
Screencap of a Facebook post, light grey text on darker grey background, reads: Please consider signing this petition. Their goal is to get to 20K, and they are just over halfway there. We have already seen that the type of system BC is proposing didn't work in Ontario, and many disabled kids there have fallen through the cracks (search the hashtag #50KIsNotOk). There's no reason to expect that it will work here, either, especially given that many of the promises the BC NDP are making in terms of increasing "community based" (aka watered down HUBs) supports are promises they've made since 2017, and failed to deliver. If they've failed to increase these promised and much-needed supports in eight years, how will they now do so in three? (To say nothing of the bottleneck they will create in removing current supports within a year, but not even trying to have their new system up and fully running for three - thousands of kids are going from supported to unsupported in a year, but the government is already telling us, before the change is in place, that lack of staffing is a problem.) Don't fall for government doublespeak. Fight for ALL disabled kids to be supported, not for some kids to be told that they aren't disabled enough, and have their vital supports removed.
Please consider signing this petition.
#BCPoli #BCEd
actionnetwork.org/petitions/pe...
February is Inclusive Education Month.
Seems like a good time to remind parents that:
Integration does NOT equal Inclusion/Inclusive Education.
Inclusive Education means disabled students having access to ALL of their needed educational supports, in order to succeed in their goals.
#BCEd #BCPoli
TikTok video pertaining to this important study, and highlighting why cutting supports to certain disabled kids in BC right now is so underhanded.
#BCPoli #Disability #Exclusion #GreenScreen 👇🏻
www.tiktok.com/@clearancesc...
Screencap of tweet from David Lingenfelter, PhD, white text on black background, reads: Children with in-utero COVID-19 exposure showed altered brain structures at birth and lower cognitive/social scores by age two, with 52% high-risk for developmental delays. This study links these brain changes to anxiety-like behaviors.🧵 Tweet contains screenshots of linked study, incl some of following: The study…compared 39 mother-baby pairs exposed to COVID-19 during pregnancy w 103 pre-pandemic "normative" pairs. Key Findings • Altered Brain Structure: Newborns exposed to COVID-19 in utero showed significant differences in regional brain volumes. Specifically, they had: • Increased volumes in cortical gray matter and the left hippocampus. • Decreased volumes in subcortical gray matter and white matter. • Cognitive & Social Delays: By age two, toddlers in the COVID-exposed group scored significantly lower on cognitive and social-emotional assessments… • In the study cohort, roughly 52% of exposed toddlers were flagged as high-risk for developmental delays • Internalizing Behaviors: Exposed toddlers showed higher scores in "internalizing" behaviors, which include early symptoms of anxiety and depression. • The "Mediation" Link: The researchers found a statistical link suggesting that the changes in cortical gray matter seen at birth partially explained the lower cognitive scores at age two. These lower cognitive scores, in tum, were linked to the increase in anxiety-like (internalizing) behaviors. Conclusion & Takeaways The authors conclude that while most children exposed to COVID-19 in utero will likely develop normally, there is a measurable risk for subtle neurodevelopmental changes. They emphasize: • Monitoring: The importance of consistent developmental screening for children born during the pandemic • Early Intervention: Earty identification of these subtle differences can heip parents and clinicians provide support (such as speech or occupational therapy) sooner.
Leaving this here for the people advocating for a reduction in supports for disabled kids in #BCPoli.
And yes, our politicians and public health reps are well aware of findings like this.
(What’s that about early intervention?)
H/t @dlingenfelter.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
This is *exactly* like everyone saying:
“Welp! We all have to get COVID now, it’s endemic”, and
No? We eliminated a whole ass strain of influenza in 2020/21 - we absolutely do not need to live with endless infections.
But, complying in advance, so people can fly and eat in restaurants, won out. 🤷♀️
February is Inclusive Education Month.
Seems like a good time to remind parents that:
Integration does NOT equal Inclusion/Inclusive Education.
Inclusive Education means disabled students having access to ALL of their needed educational supports, in order to succeed in their goals.
#BCEd #BCPoli
Me, too. 🤞
<interlude>
It's not pronounced "Lilly-Hammer"
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭