Programs

Helping Children with Autism

The Helping Children with Autism package has created new items in the Medicare Benefits Schedule, and will fund training for teachers and support playgroups, and provide early intervention and individual assistance packages for children with autism and their families.

This package assists children with autism or any other less prevalent pervasive developmental disorders such as Rett's Disorder, Asperger's Syndrome or childhood disintegrative disorder.

The Helping Children with Autism package is being implemented across the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Department of Health and Ageing

The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) is managing the implementation of the new Medicare items.

From 1 July 2008 DoHA implemented the new Medicare items for diagnosis and early intervention treatment for children with autism or any other pervasive developmental disorder. Medicare items were introduced for:

• consultant physicians (paediatricians and psychiatrists) to diagnose and develop a treatment plan for children aged under 13 years on referral from a GP
• psychologists, speech pathologists and occupational therapists to provide up to four services in total per child to collaborate with the psychiatrist or paediatrician on the assessment where required
• psychologists, speech pathologists and occupational therapists to provide early intervention treatment following diagnosis (providing up to 20 services in total per child)

Health professionals are being given appropriate information to support the implementation of the new Medicare items.

• Fact sheet for parents and carers
• Information on the Medicare rebates - allied health services
• Information on the Medicare rebates - consultant items
• Seminars on the new Medicare items
• Fact sheet: Helping Children with Autism: new Medicare items

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is overseeing the implementation of the following initiatives:

• professional development for teachers and other school staff to support school students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to achieve better educational outcomes
• workshops and information sessions, including access to online workshops and information for parents and carers of school students with ASD

For more information visit DEEWR's web page on Helping Children with Autism

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), the lead agency for the Helping Children with Autism package, is overseeing the implementation of the following initiatives:

• Education and support for families and carers of children aged 0 to 6 with autism spectrum disorders
• Increased access to early intervention programs for children aged 0 to 6 with autism spectrum disorders

For more information visit FaHCSIA's web page on Helping Children with Autism

DoHA is working very closely with FaHCSIA, DEEWR and state and territory government agencies to ensure that new investment in supporting children with autism is delivered in a collaborative and coordinated way that augments activity that is already available.