The father of a young man living with autism in Fredericton is pushing for the province to fund a permanent treatment centre closer to home.
Harold Doherty says as his son Conor gets older, more reassurance is needed for his son to be cared for.
"It's a huge challenge,” says Harold. “He will hit himself in the head with his fists to the point where it's quite serious and you have to intervene sometimes."
Harold is the primary caregiver for his 20-year-old son. Conor has to be watched all the time – something Harold learned the hard way.
"I didn't hear him get out the door and he got out the door. When i realized he wasn't in the house after running around looking for him, I eventually had to call 911," Harold says.
Conor had made it to a local gas station with the help of some strangers.
Harold gets some time when Conor is in school at Leo Hayes High School. But he will officially finish school this year when he turns 21, meaning Harold is pushing the government more than ever for an adult autism centre in the area.
As it stands, the closest one is four hours away in Campbellton.
“There's many purposes it would serve. One is to educate and train people who would work in group homes and other people who need that kind of assistance at the adult level,” says Harold. “The other very important component is to provide temporary care for those who need it.”
Harold says the group home would have to be permanent because experience has taught him change can be devastating for people with autism.
But he says the clock is ticking.
“I'm not going to give up. Not on my son."
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown.
