As many of you know, I have been advocating for early intervention for many years now. It’s why our charity began!
In December 2020, there was a request for applications from the ministry to deliver a caregiver-mediated early years program (a parent coaching program) just like we’ve been doing for the past 9 years. With our long relationship with Emerging Minds, it made complete sense for our team (Robin Gaines, Yolanda Korneluk, Veronique Chiasson and myself) to apply and we have been accepted! We will be offering QuickStart™ Autism Navigator® through the Ontario Autism Program starting soon.
We are super excited that so many more children will be helped!
I'm thrilled to be working with such an amazing group of women who all share the same vision for the children and families.
Here's the media release:
New early years program to help Ontario families living with autism
QuickStart Early Years Partnership Inc. will soon begin offering QuickStart™ Autism Navigator® Program
June 29, 2021
(Ottawa, ON)
QuickStart Early Years Partnership Inc. (QuickStart Early Years) is proud to announce that they have been selected as one of the providers for the Ontario Autism Program’s (OAP) caregiver-mediated early years programs (Early Social Interaction - Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support - ESI-SCERTS). Caregiver-mediated programs coach parents or caregivers of young children with autism based on their individual needs. Parents or caregivers learn therapeutic strategies during everyday activities from professionals and are supported to use these strategies with their child.
QuickStart Early Years will offer Ontario parents a proven early intervention program called QuickStart™ Autism Navigator® that will provide individual weekly coaching sessions for six months, in their homes (virtually or in person). Families who are currently registered with the Ontario Autism Program and who meet the criteria for this program will receive a letter from OAP offering them the opportunity to take part in the program. This program will help parents to understand and learn how best to help their child. The program will teach parents strategies to help communicate and bond with their child and gain confidence to improve their child’s communication, social, play, self-help, and motor skills.
Four partners with proficiency in autism assessment, therapeutic strategies and family support have combined skills to form QuickStart Early Years. They have decades of experience working individually and 11 years of experience working together to support Ontario families with autism: Dr. Yolanda Korneluk, founder of Emerging Minds Treatment Centre in Ottawa, is a psychologist and clinical director; Robin Gaines is a speech/language pathologist and clinical researcher; Véronique Chiasson, clinical director of Emerging Minds Est, is a registered occupational therapist; while Suzanne Jacobson, president of QuickStart Early Intervention for Autism, acts as the new company’s executive director.
“We are very excited to be able to provide an effective program that supports parents of young children who are just beginning their journey with autism,” says Dr. Korneluk. “We tailor our services to support families’ unique needs based on their own priorities, within their everyday lives with their child.”
QuickStart Early Years is expecting to start accepting their first families into QuickStart™ Autism Navigator® this summer.
“We receive many calls from worried parents. They want to know how to help their child and they need support. With QuickStart™ Autism Navigator®, parents will gain the confidence to understand and interact with their child.,” says Executive Director Suzanne Jacobson. “Our program is designed for parents with very young children, ages 12 to 36 months. The earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes for children.”
QuickStart Early Years has grown out of the directors’ shared passion for children to get early intervention. They have seen the difference it makes: it is life-changing and they wanted all children to be able to benefit from it.
According to the Ontario Autism Program, about one in 66 children aged five to 17 have autism, or autism spectrum disorder as it is also called. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people and the world around them.
For more information, contact:
English:
Suzanne Jacobson
Executive Director, QuickStart Early Years Partnership Inc.
613-791-3757
info@quickstartautism.ca
French:
Véronique Chiasson
Director, QuickStart Early Years Partnership Inc.
613.614.5450
vchiasson@emergingminds.ca
About QuickStart Early Years Partnership Inc.:
A newly-established company, QuickStart Early Years Partnership Inc. brings together decades of experience of its four founding directors, Dr. Yolanda Korneluk, Robin Gaines, PhD, Véronique Chiasson, and Suzanne Jacobson to deliver its QuickStart™ Autism Navigator® Program for parents of children with autism age 12 to 36 months, funded by the Ontario Autism Program.