Everyone
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AutismBC Offers Support and Guidance Amid Community Mourning
Richmond, British Columbia — February 11, 2025 — AutismBC extends our deepest sympathies to the family of 15-year-old Chase, who lost his life this week in a tragic incident. We recognize that Chase’s family and friends and our community are in deep mourning, experiencing a range of emotions, including anger, confusion, and a profound need for comfort and security. We understand the fear and worry many in our community feel about whether police and emergency responders know how to interact with autistic individuals safely.
We strongly advocate for trauma-informed care to support our community, and this profound loss has amplified the urgency for action among our partner groups. It is crucial to emphasize understanding of disabilities affected by delayed executive functioning and auditory processing and to enhance our protection of the non-speaking community members who can be particularly at risk. To this end, we advocate for comprehensive education and training for all emergency medical services across sectors. Additionally, we continue to advocate for a neuroaffirmative and voluntary identification system to support autistic and non-speaking individuals.
AutismBC is dedicated to addressing the gaps in support for children, youth, and adults within BC’s Ministry of Education and Child Care, Ministry of Child and Family Development, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Poverty Reduction Social Development. We highlight the lack of support for bright, verbal, autistic youth with high social-emotional needs and strong cognitive skills, whose challenges are often overlooked in both the ‘needs-based’ funding system and the school system, especially at the high school level. We acknowledge that social isolation stemming from a lack of connection and support can exacerbate mental health issues for autistic youth. Our youth are in urgent need of wrap-around support from the above ministries.
At AutismBC, we emphasize the need to stay focused on advocacy, operating with hope amid tragedy. We highlight the importance of holding space for emotions while acting from a place of care for the community. We call for collective support in addressing the needs of the families and community impacted by this tragic loss. We urge our educational system to put support in place for students not just in Surrey but across the province, as the impact of this event is felt as a collective community. We cannot overstate the importance of trauma-informed practices and understanding disabilities. We are committed to advocating to close the funding gap for social-emotional support in schools, especially for autistic and neurodivergent youth. Furthermore, we emphasize the significance of relationship-based community development. We encourage a focus on advocacy work with hope and care through education and awareness.
Again, our heartfelt and deepest condolences go out to Chase’s family and friends and our grieving community.
*We’ve received an overwhelming number of requests. As a neurodivergent organization, and while we grieve alongside the community, our capacity is limited. At this time, we can offer written responses but are unable to accommodate live or recorded interviews. We appreciate your understanding and compassion.
Thank you for your interest in covering this topic and for helping to raise awareness. Your support means a lot to us and the community.
For written responses, please contact us via our media request form.
Image and news source: Global News
