FASD Demonstration Projects
The FASD demonstration projects in Alberta are widely regarded as emerging best practice in the support of individuals and families affected by FASD. Visit the profiles for each of the demonstration projects.
Community Justice Program, Lethbridge Alberta
First Steps Program, Lethbridge Alberta
Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP), Calgary, Alberta
AVENTA Addiction Treatment for Women, Calgary, Alberta
FASD Outreach Project, Red Deer, Alberta
Lakeland Centre for FASD, Cold Lake, Alberta
First Steps Program, Catholic Social Services, Edmonton, Alberta
Well Community - Well Families (WCWF), Edmonton, Alberta
Awakenings Program, Siksika First Nations, Gleichen, Alberta
Community Justice Program, Lethbridge, Alberta
Project Description:
Diversionary Justice program for young offenders with FASD which allows for identification of young offenders with possible FASD in order to:
- Divert the youth from the legal system where appropriate;
- Make recommendations to the courts for assessments, alternative measures or sentencing where appropriate, development of case management plans and/or pre-sentence reports;
- Influence program development or changes; and
- Provide advocacy for youths, their family, school and community as needed.
This project also provides ongoing support training within the Lethbridge Police Service, agency partners, and other community groups as well as collaboration and mentorship with other regions interested in a coordinated Justice response for young offenders with FASD.
Contact Information:
Lethbridge Police Service
135 - 1 Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0A1
Primary Contact:
Constable Mark Waage, Coordinator
Telephone: (403) 327-2210
Fax: (403) 328-6999
Email: mark.waage@police.lethbridge.ab.ca
First Steps Program, Lethbridge, Alberta
Project Description:
The First Steps Program is an intensive long-term one-on-one mentoring program for women at high risk for giving birth to a baby exposed to prenatal alcohol. The program helps women to stabilize their life situation (clothing, shelter, food, prenatal and general health care, access to addictions treatment), to secure reliable birth control, to access community supports/services, establish individual goals and achieve success in those goals through secure trusting long term relationships with mentors, resolve complex issues that contribute to substance abuse (e.g., legal problems, homelessness, domestic violence), reduce use/abuse of alcohol/drugs, and helps to ensure their children are in a safe nurturing environment.
Contact Information:
Families First and First Steps
Room 2K156, First Floor
Lethbridge Regional Hospital
960 - 19 Street S.
Lethbridge, AB T1J 1W5
Primary Contact:
Sharlene Campbell, Coordinator
Telephone: (404) 388-6351
Fax: (403) 328-3682
Email: scampbell@chr.ab.ca
Email: vmcgill@chr.ab.ca
Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP), Calgary, Alberta
Project Description:
The Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP) is a model for intervening with high-risk substance abusing mothers through the use of paraprofessionals and a home-visiting model and includes the following services:
- Continued service delivery of comprehensive prevention, and care and support programs for high-risk women and their partners;
- On-going support for families diagnosed with FASD children; and
- On-going FASD training for all service providers/professionals.
Contact Information:
McMan Youth, Family & Community Services Association
404, 315 - 10th Avenue, S.E.
Calgary, AB T2G 0W2
Primary Contact:
Pam VanVugg, Program Supervisor
Pat Baceda, Manager
Telephone: (403) 590-3285
Fax: (403) 508-7724
Email: pat.baceda@mcman.ca
AVENTA Addiction Treatment for Women, Calgary, Alberta
Project Description:
Addiction treatment services on an out-patient, short-term residential, and long term residential basis for women with alcohol, drug, nicotine and gambling addictios. Pregnant women are a priority at AVENTA and receive supportive care relative to their pregnancy, aftercare addiction treatment, and parenting resources.
Contact Information:
AVENTA Addiction Treatment for Women
610- 25th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2S 0L6
Primary Contact:
Joy Tomlinson, Intake Administrator
Telephone: (403) 245-9050
Fax: (403) 245-9485
Email: info@AVENTA.org
FASD Outreach Project, Red Deer, Alberta
Project Description:
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Community outreach project to provide services and supports for families and individuals affected by FASD from a life-span approach that they will need to live in and be a valued member of their community.
- For adults this includes a peer support program, respite program for caregivers, life-skills training, direct personal assistance services and supports, as well as more indirect advocacy/troubleshooting/liaison services to expand circles of support for adults affected by FAS and ease some of the pressure on their families
- For children and youth, services and supports include service linkages/advocacy, ensuring children and youth have the opportunity to participate in age-appropriate community activities, and development of enhancing coping strategies for parents/caregivers
- Provide FASD awareness training and be an integral part of the case conferences with the region's assessment and diagnostic team and their Community Assessment Model.
Contact Information:
Friends of Children with Special Needs
2nd floor, 5017 - 50th Street
Red Deer, AB, T4N 1Y2
Primary Contact:
Denise Orieux, Program Coordinator
Telephone: (403) 352-0099
Email: denise.fasd@shawbiz.ca
Lakeland Centre for FASD, Cold Lake, Alberta
Project Description:
The Lakeland Centre for FASD is operated by the Lakeland Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Society that has developed an innovative rural integrated model of care through coordinated diagnostic and support services for individuals and families affected by FASD. The Centre is really a virtual centre as all services are provided in the community away from the offices. The Centre has a full time Team Coordinator position and delivers a variety of services.
Contact Information
Lakeland Centre for FASD
Box 479
Cold Lake, AB T9M 1P3
Primary Contact
Audrey McFarlane, Executive Director
Telephone: (780) 594-9905
Toll Free: 1-866-594-5454
Fax: (780) 594-9907
Email: amfascen@telusplanet.net
First Steps Program, Catholic Social Services, Edmonton, Alberta
Project Description:
- The First Steps Program is an intensive long-term one-on-one mentoring program for women at high risk for giving birth to a baby exposed to prenatal alcohol.
- The program helps women to stabilize their life situation (clothing, shelter, food, prenatal and general health care, access to addictions treatment), to secure reliable birth control, to access community supports/services, establish individual goals and achieve success in those goals through secure trusting long term relationships with mentors, resolve complex issues that contribute to substance abuse (e.g., legal problems, homelessness, domestic violence), reduce use/abuse of alcohol/drugs, and helps to ensure their children are in a safe nurturing environment.
- In addition to the program expansion, Catholic Social Services has also taken on lead responsibility for the training, support and clinical supervision (as needed), coordination, data collection/analysis and reporting for all First Steps Programs funded through APFAS as well as for the linkages with any other similar programs not funded through APFAS including integration of First Steps with the Home Visitation programs where appropriate.
Contact Information:
Catholic Social Services
#2, 9137 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5H 3T3
Primary Contact:
Dorothy Henneveld
Telephone: (780) 477-1999 Ext 231
Fax: (780) 477-2499
Email: Dorothy.Henneveld
Well Community Well Families (WCWF), Edmonton, Alberta
Project Description:
The WCWF is a multi-level community development program aimed at preventing and managing FASD by building the capacity of Central Edmonton communities to support healthy pregnancies and families. WCWF is a joint project of Bissell Centre, Health for Two and Success By 6. WCWF services include;
- Intensive one-on-one mentoring, advocacy, and support with women at high risk of having a child with FASD and with adults with FASD;
- Development of parenting groups to build skills and mutual support among parents whose children are FASD;
- Expansion of personal empowerment program for youth and adults with FASD (one on one support and community advocacy services);
- Strengthening capacity of informal and formal community resources to address and prevent FASD (including establishing working groups of community members to advise, generate ideas and promote action; fostering mutual support among community members including women at high risk of having a child with FASD;
- Distributing information on identifying prenatal substance use, FASD and the community resources that provide appropriate supports;
- Providing intensive FASD training across the region to community service providers and professionals (government and non-government); and
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Increasing awareness of FASD throughout the region (including FASD training for service providers and community members specific to hands-on strategies to prevent and manage FASD, participating in community events/forums and presentations, linking residents and service providers with appropriate opportunities to learn more about FASD and related issues).
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Recently, the mandate of the Parent-Child Advocate Program has been expanded to include women ages 16-18 years old who are pregnant and struggling with addictions.
Contact Information:
Bissell Centre
10527 96 Street
Edmonton, AB T5H 2H6
Primary Contact:
Beverly Allard, Manager
Telephone: (780) 423-2285, ext 132
Fax: (780) 425-6594
Email: ballard@bissellcentre.org
Awakenings Program, Siksika First Nation, Gleichen, Alberta
Project Description:
The objective of the Awakenings program is to develop responses to address the FASD needs in Gleichen, Alberta. The program will focus on prevention strategies to reduce the incidence of FASD and to promote health and well being of the Siksika community, these strategies include:
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Continued service delivery of comprehensive prevention, and care and support programs for high risk women and their partners;
- On-going support for families with FASD children and adults diagnosed with FASD children;
- Development of a multi-disciplinary diagnostic team to provide screening, assessment, and diagnosis for Siksika Nation;
- Development of a Siksika Model of Care for communities and families/children/adults; and
-
On-going FAS training for all service providers/professionals within the Siksika community.
Contact Information:
Siksika Mental Health
P.O. Box # 1130
Siksika Nation, AB T0J 3W0
Primary Contact:
Tyler White, Siksika Mental Health Director
Telephone: (403) 734-3852
Fax: (403) 734-3490
Métis Nation of Alberta
Project Description:
The Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) is a provincial organization of Métis people. MNA activities will be guided by a Provincial Métis FAS Steering Committee and the Provincial Métis Elders Advisory Committee. The MNA proposal involves inter-related activities to enhance awareness and support for Métis people affected in some way by FASD, these activities include:
- Production of a video to enhance awareness;
- Preparation of resource information to accompany the awareness video and provide information where individuals may access supports; and
- Development of regionally based FASD support groups.
Contact Information:
Métis Nations of Alberta Association
#100, Delia Gray Building
11738 Kingsway Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5G 0K5
Primary Contact:
Eileen Mustus
Provincial FASD Coordinator
Telephone: 780 455-2200 ext. 234
Fax: 780 452-8948
Email: emustus@metis.org
