While Pontiac residents may be familiar with regional health authority CISSSO’s local users committees, which advocate for patients within a specific facility or local service area, they might be surprised to learn that there is a group that represents patients with intellectual disabilities and autism throughout the Outaouais.
Michel Marcotte, a representative of the Intellectual Disability-Autism Spectrum Disorder (ID-ASD) Users Committee, as it is known, explained that their role is to ensure patients and their caretakers are fully aware of their rights within the health care system. They also provide practical assistance such as helping file a formal complaint or accompanying a patient in a meeting with staff.
Marcotte said that while they don’t currently have committee members from the Pontiac region, the area provides some sought-after services for people with intellectual disabilities in the Outaouais, such as dental surgeries and respite care.
