A group whose aim is to better educate Bermuda about autism last night welcomed the introduction of a clinic geared to autistic children.

Bermuda Autism Support and Education (BASE) praised the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) for looking at more specialised services for autistic children.

According to the newly launched mental health plan, the Assessment and Monitoring Clinic for Autism will be a new service in the Child and Adolescent Services directorate that will provide on-Island care for the approximately 200 people in Bermuda with autism.

The strategy said: "The new services will bring an internationally known expert to Bermuda on a regular visitation schedule. This will obviate the necessity for families of such children to travel for insurance funded assessments that are often unsatisfactory and not related to services available on the Island."

Last night BASE autism consultant Susannah Cole said: "Bermuda Autism Support and Education is very supportive of the new mental health initiative that strives to increase community-based care and improve services here in Bermuda.

"With the growing need for services to support children with autism and their families, BASE welcomes an initiative that offers specialist services for Autism spectrum disorders.

"BASE assists children with autism and their families every day and we are acutely aware of their needs and the frustration they experience when the support they require is unavailable. This initiative provides a framework to build a strong foundation of support for the autism community in Bermuda."

Also under the new plan, launched at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI) last week by Health Minister Walter Roban, Bermuda could see improved geriatric services and residential addiction treatment.

Mr. Roban said: "Mental health services are not something people always feel comfortable talking about let alone getting involved with or have to use.

"However, we should not forget that any one of us could experience a mental health issue at some point in our life from children suffering from bullying and having suicidal thoughts through adults with depression or as seniors when dementia can trigger or add complications to a pre-existing mental illness."

Mr. Roban added as many as one in four people will struggle with mental illness at some point.

Residential addiction treatment is being improved under the new plan as many people who participate in the current treatment programmes will be readmitted within one year.

The strategy said: "Patients who are involved in comprehensive substance treatment within 30 days of completion of detoxification are less likely to relapse. They go on to state that although detoxification assists clients in ceasing their use of alcohol and drugs, it is not treatment."

The plan said residential programmes can span from 30 days to one year and the programme would require a clinical manager, addiction counsellor and a counsellor assistant.

Another improvement under the plan would be geriatric services and BHB is in the process of recruiting a clinical geriatrician, who would work with the consultant psychiatrist at MWI to develop an Island-wide memory assessment, advice and treatment service.

And in an effort to meet the needs of elderly people and their families more efficiently, the National Office for Seniors and the Physically Challenged has been moved to the Ministry of Health.