Media Release
14 December 2006
Release of New Draft Evidence-based Guideline about Autism Spectrum Disorder
In a ground-breaking first for New Zealand, health, disability and education professionals and social service agencies
will now be able to refer to an evidence-based guideline when diagnosing and supporting people with autism spectrum
disorder (ASD).
Lester Mundell, the Ministry of Health's Chief Advisor of Disability Services says "Autism Spectrum Disorder is a
life-long developmental disability, which can affect communication, social interaction and behaviour. Its form and
severity can vary from person to person, and a range of developmental disorders including Asperger Syndrome, is now
considered to be part of the autistic spectrum."
"ASD is a complex group of disorders and there have been conflicting claims about the benefits of certain interventions.
To date, international guidelines have covered particular groups, for example children, or a particular series of
interventions, for example education or medical approaches. The New Zealand Guideline takes a whole of life and a whole
of government perspective."
The draft ASD Guideline, released today, is intended to provide guidance on ASD in both children and adults in New
Zealand. The guideline will provide people with ASD and those around them up-to-date and reliable evidence for designing
and monitoring services and support. It covers identification, diagnosis, ongoing assessment, interventions and services
for people with ASD from infancy to adulthood.
Ministry of Education, Team Leader Research in Professional Practice, Joanna Curzon says, "This guideline is in response
to many requests from the health and disability sector, people with ASD, their families and whanau, for guidance about
interventions that work."
Joanna Curzon says a review by the then Government highlighted gaps in services for people with ASD and made a number of
recommendations to improve the quality of services for people with ASD. In response, the Ministries of Health, Education
and the Department of Child, Youth and Family formed a cross-government group to tackle the challenges raised by the
review.
"It was this group that responded to the requests from people with ASD and their supporters and agreed that an
evidence-based guideline was needed. An ASD Guideline Steering Group has helped to guide the development of the ASD
Guideline and the Ministries of Health and Education have jointly sponsored and funded the work."
Lester Mundell says there is now a three-month consultation phase to allow the public - service providers from the
disability and education sectors, parents, whanau and caregivers - to review the draft Guideline, provide feedback on
how useful they find the Guideline and supply any evidence that had been overlooked.
"We welcome the public discussion and feedback on this, and we're confident that this will help ensure that the final
ASD Guideline is accurate, relevant and useful to everyone who supports people with ASD."
At the same time as the public consultation is taking place, international experts in ASD are peer-reviewing the draft
ASD Guideline and an impact analysis is being conducted, commissioned by the Ministries of Health and Education. The
results from all three activities will feed into an implementation plan.
“We are determined that the ASD Guideline will lead to improved life outcomes for people with ASD and those around
them.
The draft ASD Guideline is on the Ministry of Health's website - www.moh.govt.nz/autismspectrumdisorder
ENDS