At least one Windsor mother whose teenage son has autism is a bit skeptical, but hopeful that positive change is coming to the Ontario Autism Program.
The program has come under fire and sparked protests as the province changed its funding and capped the amounts families could receive.
Ontario Minister of Children, Community and Social Services Todd Smith announced Monday the government is committed to a 'needs-based program'.
It follows public consultations by the Autism Advisory Panel which is made up of parents, experts and adults with autism.
The panel is developing recommendations for the new program stemming from the results of online surveys, telephone town halls and written submissions.
Mary Beth Rocheleau has a teenage son with autism and worries about this future.
On the surface, she says it appears the new minister is, at the very least, listening.
"It looks like he is willing to work a little bit better with the parents and actually listen to them. There was this no communication before and it was going to be this way and that's it."
Rocheleau supports the new direction for the program.
"It definitely has to be needs based in my eyes, some children need different types of services and supports, some children need more and some need less."
But while she remains optimistic that there could be positive change coming for the program, she wants the government to pay attention to people with autism over the age of 18 and adults with disabilities.
"I'm severely disappointed with this government's lack of any interest for anybody over the age of 18, that is the Ontario Autism Program not the Ontario Children with Autism Program."
Currently, funding stops when a child with autism turns 18.
Minister Smith says the new needs-based program should be ready by April 2020.
The government made changes in hopes of reducing the wait list, but it backfired and parents weren't happy, arguing it wasn't enough and was leaving children without adequate services.
As previously announced, Ontario is investing another $278-million in the province's autism program, bringing the total amount of funding to $600-million annually.