Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS)

Bringing the voices of the autism community to an important planning process

Environics Research worked with the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) to support key elements of the engagement process undertaken as part of the Academy’s Assessment on Autism.

Background

Environics Research was commissioned by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) to support the development of a pan-Canadian strategy to better serve the needs of the autism community. ​ Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts individuals across the lifespan. There is diversity in how this condition presents and evolves over time. Many individuals on the autism spectrum and their families face social and economic challenges that affect their quality of life. About 1 in 50 Canadian children and adolescents (2%) has autism, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. This rate has increased over time. Less is known about how many adults in Canada have autism. Across Canada, Autistic people – children, youth, adults, and older adults – require a variety of supports in terms of health, education, and social services. There is considerable variability in access to services across provinces, territories, and regions, as well as across the lifespan. Many play a key role in supporting autistic family members. Some experts and community members have advocated a national autism strategy as a way to provide a compelling shared vision for autism support; to improve the health and well-being of autistic children and adults; and to support the parents and caregivers of Autistic people. CAHS commissioned an Assessment on Autism to inform the development of this strategy.

Our Approach

To achieve this objective, Environics developed a robust research approach that integrated five phases of research:

About the client

The Canadian Academy of Health Sciences brings together Canada’s top-ranked health and biomedical scientists and scholars to make a positive impact on the urgent health concerns of Canadians. These Fellows, drawn from all disciplines across our nation’s universities, healthcare, and research institutes, evaluate Canada’s most complex health challenges and recommend strategic, actionable solutions. The CAHS was fashioned after the National Academy of Medicine (formerly known as the Institute of Medicine) in the USA, to provide independent, objective, evidence-based analyses of health challenges that inform both public and private sectors in decision-making about policy, practice, and investment. CAHS has completed assessments on a number of key issues which are listed here.

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