The day was jam-packed with information, laughter, and great food! Katharine Dunbar Winsor from fasdNL started the day off by providing us with an overview of FASD. We learned that individuals impacted by the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure will likely experience some degree of challenge throughout their lives and that FASD is a lifelong disability.   It can affect people from all social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. Understanding FASD and how it affects the person's daily living is critical so that justice professionals can provide more equitable service to their clients.  
 
Next, we heard from Francis Perry. Francis is a Mi'kmaq man living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. He was diagnosed at the age of 19, during a time when FASD was poorly understood, and very few resources were available to access. He shared his story, his successes and his challenges and provided the participants with a poignant first-voice account of living with FASD. 
 
Jonathan Rudin is a lawyer working with the Aboriginal Law Services in Toronto. He is the chair of the FASD Justice Committee and helped develop a website on FASD and the Justice system. 
(FASDJustice.ca). Jonathan reviewed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action as it relates to FASD and reminded us that governments should develop FASD prevention and awareness programs in conjunction with Aboriginal organizations. Jonathan explained that accommodations should be made in the justice system to allow for FASD diagnosis and that the diagnosis should be taken into consideration during dispositions and sentencing.
 
After a delicious Mexican-inspired lunch, we settled back to listen to the Honorable Mary Kate Harvie. Judge Harvie was part of a multi-disciplinary team that developed an FASD Justice Program in Manitoba. This Justice Program was designed to ensure that individuals with FASD in conflict with the law will receive the appropriate treatment plans/sentencing. This program can support youth and young adults through the diagnostic process, help individuals and families understand the diagnosis of FASD and provide follow-up services to help improve outcomes for individuals with FASD.
 
​
Katharine Dunbar Winsor was welcomed back to the stage to share some FASD resources that professionals in the Justice System and others may use. Of particular interest to the participants were the pictorial representations of probationary conditions. These were icons/pictographs that illustrated various probation conditions like abstaining from alcohol, curfew, keeping the peace, and others.   
 
The day ended with Kelly Holley providing information about Jordan's Principle. We learned that Jordan's Principle is a funding initiative for First Nation's children and youth and may be accessed for diagnosis and other support services. Justice professionals were also encouraged to contact Jordan's Principle for additional client support.
 
Many thanks to the Nova Scotia Department of Justice for this exciting and worthwhile day.

 
Quick facts about FASD
-FASD prevention involves supportive partners, families and communities. 
-FASD is a leading cause of developmental disability in Canada, with more individuals being affected than autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and down syndrome combined. 
-Many individuals with FASD and their families have no formal supports available to them.
-Awareness helps decrease stigma, which may lead more pregnant people, or people who may be pregnant, to seek out support if struggling with alcohol.
 
Here at fasdNL, we are doing many things during September to raise awareness around FASD, build communities and extend supports. Check out some of our initiatives and how to get involved below! 
 
1- Move for FASD 
 
Help to raise awareness and engage friends, family, co-workers and community members by participating in our #MoveForFASD event, and be entered to win one of five $50 prepaid credit cards!
 
Check out the event page here to register: ⬇️
https://bit.ly/3PssDm4
 
How to participate anywhere in Atlantic Canada:
1. During the month of September 2022 register online ($5 or a donation amount of your choice)
2. Move! (walk, roll, run, dance, bike, yoga, etc.)
3. Once registered, you are automatically entered to win 1 of 5, $50 prepaid credit cards
4. Post a picture of your movement and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (@fasdNL) for an extra chance to win!
All funds raised will go towards supporting families impacted by FASD in Atlantic Canada.
#FasdAwarenessMonth
 
2- Rock Art Guide
In support of FASD awareness month, we are inviting individuals and organizations to participate in the FASD Rock Art Challenge! 
 
Check out our Rock Art Painting Guide for tips and tricks! ⬇️ 🧑🏽‍🎨
https://bit.ly/3QkMQen
 
All you need for this family-friendly activity are some rocks, paint and a little creativity. Paint your rocks with positive FASD awareness messages, images, or colors.
Post a photo of your painted rock to social media and tag us @fasdNL!
 
3- Map of Proclamations 
 
To help spread awareness and accurate messaging about FASD, fasdNL invited municipalities, towns and cities across Atlantic Canada to proclaim September, 2022 as FASD Awareness Month. Together, we are putting FASD on the Map!
 
Over 50 locations accepted the invitation to issue proclamations last year, and this year, the proclamations are again rolling in! We thank all municipalities, towns and cities in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island for considering proclaiming September, 2022 to be FASD Awareness Month, and for their awareness efforts.
 
Check back at the end of the month to see our #FASDmap; a visual representation of all the locations that joined us in proclaiming September as FASD awareness month! 
 
4- #DidYouKnow Posts 2022
 
Leading up to FASD Awareness month, we posted 1 FASD fact per day in August on all of our social media platforms. Scroll back or check out the 31 days of FASD facts here on our website: Feel free to share these images, and be sure to tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, @fasdNL. 
 
Want to know more about FASD? Check out the “About”, “Prevention”, and “Resources” tabs on our website. For more ways to support us in our efforts, check out the “Support” tab on our website. 
 
 
 

​My name is Joseph Munn. I am from Fredericton, NB, and I am 19 years old. I was diagnosed with FASD without sentinel effects in March 2019. I believe I am a change maker. I have defied the odds. I am succeeding in my life in a healthy way. I am just recently lived on my own for 4 months. I have obtained my licence, graduated from high school. I have been able to maintain employment. I qualified for a world’s competition with the Canadian pole sport and arts federation in June of this year. I have a great support system of people that support and care about me.
I will share what life for me is like with FASD and what I think about it. The things I often wonder about and what I think you should know about FASD.

​A large problem is FASD to many is an invisible disability. Due to the invisible part, it is hard for people to see my ability. People in my life have seen me as lazy, indifferent, disorganized, distracting, defiant, and stubborn, and the list goes on. I am consistently inconsistent! I didn’t know that was a problem until I got my FASD diagnosis. When the diagnosis came, my mom worked hard to break these misconceptions by providing education to those that would listen. I was denied a one-on-one worker in school. I was denied a disability support plan because, on paper, I didn’t look like I needed help because I was working, getting my licence, living on my own and having social outings. The person didn’t realize the amount of time, energy, support, and sacrifice that my family gave me so I could obtain this quality of life. I was able to do what I was accomplishing in my life because I had a wheelchair for my brain that gave me the help. It allowed me what I needed to get done. I was told I was doing great and asked why I needed supports. Take those limited supports away that I have, and I risk becoming a negative statistic. I have learned I will always need a wheelchair for my brain. That could be a person, technology aid, strategy, or life tools in my life toolbox. I am accepting that to live my best life. I need this. When society is educated, I hope they can see the invisible disability and see what we need to have abilities.
 
I have had several diagnoses. I have been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety disorder, attachment disorder, depression and learning disabilities that affect my comprehension, reading and math. After I got my diagnosis, I thought, “oh cool, so I have FASD.”  I don’t think I understood what the diagnosis meant 100%, but I am learning every day. I know now that my FASD is why I am tired and messy that I am not lazy. It is the reason why I tell people what they want to hear, not the truth. It explains why lights bother me. I can’t sit still, and I am not doing it on purpose.
Did you know it is also the reason I can do everything I am supposed to do for a person my age, then, the next day, it is like my brain doesn’t work and I don’t know what I am supposed to do? FASD is why I will go outside in -20 in a hoodie and wear a hoodie with the hood on and long pants in +20. When I am in a group of people, I become easily distracted, hyper or tired. Yep, that is FASD too.
 
My mom started an FASD family support group, and I got to meet other people with FASD. It is cool because some of the things that bother me bother them. They also have a hard time with things, like me. They don’t expect me to remember their name or call them all the time. They don’t get offended if I forget stuff or to call them.
When I look back on my life, people told me I needed to have this for supports, and I should have that for supports. But, unfortunately, I didn’t have what professionals said I should have.
Before my diagnosis, people didn’t question if I was capable of accomplishing tasks. People said I was a typical boy, but I wasn’t. Now that I have a diagnosis, people question if I can do this or that. Should I be doing this or that? Examples are living on my own, driving, owning a car, managing my finances, travelling by myself, working.
 
I had to wait 10 years to get my diagnosis. There were hundreds of appointments over 10 years, my mom said, trying to “figure me out” I was a foster child in kinship from 18 months to 5 years I was bounced from family member to family member. I was a happy, energetic, loving boy. My birth mom was not well enough to take care of me. She did the best she could with what she had. So, my family stepped in, and here I am today. I still talk to my biological mom, have a relationship with her, and I love her. I am not angry with her because she drank. I wish she had the support that I have now because I know she didn’t.
 
I feel the world needs better education on FASD. The more I learn, listen, and talk about FASD, the more I see it is not understood. Doctors are still advising pregnant women drinking alcohol is safe in small doses. Drinking is everywhere. It is entertainment, and society tells us it is ok. It isn’t ok.
The lack of awareness and understanding is why I am a change maker. I know it is not ok to take drugs or alcohol during pregnancy. I also know I’m able to be successful; I am smart. But, supports are hard to get. Everyone in life needs help in one way or another.
 
I didn’t realize FASD was a global issue. I learned that there are a lot of people with FASD. I have learned it is common in many countries. I am not surprised because drinking is common. On TV, when you go out to eat, every corner in my hometown is a new microbrewery. They are now selling alcohol in grocery stores. There is a high prevalence in the commonwealth countries. Countries that are well educated and have many resources are not educated on this diagnosis. More awareness is needed. Drinking alcohol is a world epidemic.
I didn’t know FASD was a problem in Australia, Russia, and other countries, including South Africa. I didn’t know that FASD was a world issue.
I know there is research being done, and I am happy about that. But I hope that we can reduce these shocking facts and negative stigma with more conferences and more awareness.
There needs to be more invested in early diagnostic and post-diagnosis. With more supports, interventions and resources, I hope that children will not have to have negative labels. People think they choose to act a certain way when that isn’t the case. I want people to see that my brain doesn’t allow me to act or do something a certain way that day.
If I had more one of one supports, increase the frequency of my breaks between classes, softer lighting, educators that were educated, safe places to go in the school and community, hands-on learning, support and education centers. Housing centers for our specific needs, easy to navigate health care and community resources. Life would be much easier. People that have this diagnosis with no supports will have a hard time with life; they will have mental health issues, low self-esteem, low education levels, and fall through the cracks.  
I know I am going to continue to be a change-maker and speak up for those that don’t know-how. I will encourage people to accept help and talk about their situations to become a statistic in change and not defeat.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my side of the story of FASD.

A Change of Perspective ​

My name is Heather Paul, and I am a Registered Psychologist. I have been involved in advocating for individuals with FASD since early in my career. I have worked in the areas of education, health and justice and have seen first-hand how a diagnosis and appropriate interventions have improved the quality of life for individuals and families affected by FASD. I have also witnessed how the lack of a diagnosis can impact the quality of life for individuals and families affected by FASD.
​

​​Creating the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) video series was an interesting and adaptive learning process. I spent many hours researching what is the best way to present information to individuals who may have a disability, and the conclusion is that most individuals, with and without disabilities, perceive information in different ways. Even though fasdNL is an organization that focuses on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, any individual with a serious or prolonged disability can apply for the DTC, making the videos potentially beneficial to a larger audience. When planning, I wanted to make the videos accessible to as many people as possible, while focusing examples on individuals with FASD and their parents/caregivers. 
 

The University of Washington has done some great research around creating accessible video resources. Subtitles or captions, video descriptions and scripts are all recommended as ways to improve accessibility1. So, in trying to make the videos accessible to as many people as possible, I incorporated all of these techniques, in a what I call a minimal, maximal approach-using as much as necessary, without using too much. The different additions were designed to reach individuals of all abilities. Audio descriptions of visuals are often recommended123, so this was taken in to consideration when developing the videos and the scripts. All visuals and graphics used in the videos are represented and explained directly in the script and voiceover. 
 
Using colours with intention and making use of contrast is a theme throughout the videos. I read lots of interesting articles about how high colour contrast specifically, is important when creating accessible video content234. I chose a black background with white text, because the contrast is easier to see for individuals who have low vision or are colour blind. Using a coloured background or text can lessen contrast and visibility, making it more difficult to see. Anytime I used coloured text, white text always preceded the colour change, and the change was done to direct attention to certain text as it was being narrated by the voiceover. Speaking of the text, all text used was clear, bold and easy to read. Fancy and fun fonts can be harder to read, so even though it was tempting to include them visually, I refrained from doing so. 
 
I wanted to showcase representation and diversity throughout the video series and limit stereotypical representations. There are a variety of different disabilities showcased, both visible and invisible, races/ethnicities, genders, religious backgrounds, etc. One specific example is that I changed up the parent figure throughout the series. Mothers, fathers, non-binary parents, adoptive parents, single parents, married parents, caregivers, etc., are all included in some way. 
 
The videos will be disseminated on different platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and our website, so they can be found by a variety of audiences and are offered in many different media accessible formats. We are also planning on sharing these videos with other community organizations that serve individuals with disabilities, as our audience is often parents/caregivers of, and individuals with FASD. 
 
If you would like to see the videos, you can check them out at www.fasdnl.ca/DTC. This was an invaluable learning experience and something that I will utilize in any of my future video production work. If you would like to share the videos, please credit fasdNL when sharing!
 
Thanks for reading J
Laura Squires
 
References
 
1- University of Washington (n.d.). Creating accessible videos. Accessible Technology.https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/videos/
 
2- University of Colorado Boulder (n.d.). Creating accessible videos. Accessible Technology. https://www.colorado.edu/accessible-technology/resources/creating-accessible-videos

3- Garcia-Cabot, A., Garcia-Lopez, E., & Karhu, M. (2014). Creating accessible digital educational content [Workshop]. V Congreso Internacional sobre Calidad y Accesibilidad de la Formación Virtual. http://www.esvial.org/wp-content/files/CAFVIR2014pp60-66.pdf
 
4- Thurber, A., & Bandy, J. (2018). Creating accessible learning environments. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/creating-accessible-learning-environments/.
 
 
 

​I was diagnosed in 1987 with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (now Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD). The importance of raising awareness about FASD is still needed today. I am one of the lucky few; while I might struggle every day, I am fortunate that I have a family support network that has pushed me to continuously better myself. Over forty years ago, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome encompassed an umbrella of many behaviours, characteristics, conditions, and descriptions. By the time it evolved into being known as FASD, research was being done to understand it and how best to prevent it. I am not sure what people will get out of this work, at the very least, maybe my voice might highlight the good, the bad, and the ugly associated with FASD.

Living with FASD is not easy. It affects individuals in different ways and at different times. But we are individuals.
My struggles with FASD manifests itself in behaviour, cognitive, facial characteristic concerns, or issues. Growing up, understanding, or processing social cues was a behaviour symptom of having FASD. For example, depending on the delivery tone of expressions and phrases, I might take them very literally ... If someone said, "get lost.", to me, that would mean I needed to make myself do that. I would not have processed the underlying sarcasm in time. Other behavioural aspects include impulsiveness and obsessive-compulsive disorder issues.
I did better with book-style learning and completing research papers versus relying on memory and taking tests or exams. I often read books or watch the same movies over again. I can practice the same piece of flute music repeatedly. I don’t deal well in handling my personal finances. I constantly worry about what other people might think about me. I need some routines or rules repeated back to me or explained to me
differently even if I have done them or understood them in the past. As I’ve gotten older, some of these issues don’t occur as often.
My life is a series of moments that can be pieced together only with extreme patience and understanding. I've done or said things that don't make sense to other people, but in my head they either made sense at the time or I couldn't explain them in a way that it made sense to others. It feels at times, like the connectors in my brain are either over firing, or, not connecting at all. It's extremely frustrating for me because I know it's not right, but the damage is permanent. Once alcohol gets delivered to the fetus that damage is permanent.
I was.
In addition to having FASD, I have also struggled with my weight which could impact any recovery from future heart procedures (I originally had open heart surgery in 1981). A few years ago, I had to purchase a hearing aid since my hearing has gone down in my left ear. With one single problem or issue, the effects can ripple into a kaleidoscope of other problems or issues.
To that end, it's taken a lifetime of figuring out what works for me, what I need to do to make me better, and to understand that while it works for me now, it may not always work. Consistency and diligence are excellent methods to utilize while interacting but the best support for me has been my family. My mom (not my birth mother) taught people with disabilities and knew early on that I had FASD. Still, in the mid 80s, my parents fought with the school board to ensure I was included in regular classrooms. I was much slower in learning and interacting with my peers, I was constantly bullied, and I had to repeat Grade 4 (so I could mature socially even though I was progressing well through the curriculum). The board and other teachers wanted me placed in special classes. That would have potentially hindered my future educational opportunities. Adamant, my parents kept me in the regular school system but knew I needed every bit of support that they could devise for me. Tutors were very much needed, especially for math and even social lessons. Despite the early turmoil I faced with my education, and as an individual who was among the first generation of people diagnosed with FASD in Canada. I am proud of my education. I hold a university degree and a college diploma with over 15 years of being gainfully employed. This proves that despite having FASD, education and employment are not outside of anyone’s reach.
I am.
Not understanding consequences is an effect of having FASD. That is not a statement to be made lightly or to use as a crutch. In my case, it could either mean making mistakes and not knowing about them, then repeating them, or needing my parents to help me. Getting money, spending it, and not saving it were very difficult concepts for me to learn. I have some good moments when I set goals and accomplish them. I've also had moments that didn't make sense and needed to be fixed by my parents, usually in the financial sense. I can't trust myself now to large sums of money, either on a credit card or especially in cash
form. It's too easy for me to spend it and forget what I spent it on. With my parents’ help, I've been able to pay off a car loan in good standing and tackle my student loans. My life is coming around, slowly, but coming up to normal functionality. Some would say I am a high-functioning individual with disabilities, and I would agree. Again, however, it's not always the case, and I constantly have to better myself or be nudged in that direction.
I is.
There are times ... when I feel that the world, the circumstances, and people in it are in a synchronized harmony in which I am never able to understand or play a part. I desperately want to blend in, never stand out or be spotlighted. In the professional world of work, I would never be a leader. I am the organizer or planner. Then something happens that makes me glad I am me. That I have something that no one else has. Or will ever have. 
 
I have the unique experience of having a disability that is me. It defines whom I am, and I define it. It will be part of what makes me hang my clothes in a certain order, or of not being able to be the front and centre of a big gathering. It makes me more comfortable around pets versus around children. It also means that I relate better with people older than me versus my peers. It means that at a young age, I was having to be taught social distance and not go around hugging random people. I may sometimes not be analytical or logical enough or may not understand social subtleties. 
Sometimes I speak my mind at inappropriate times making connections that others don’t understand or I don’t know when to interrupt the normal flow of conversation. I know a lot of what I deal with or try to is not normal or will ever be considered normal. But for me it is normal, it's what I know and what I've always known.
FASD is preventable and currently has no cure. It comes with many stigmas and harsher realities for those without a support network, it affects people across all economic, race, religion, and social backgrounds. When one person is affected with FASD, that affects many more not just the one.

The New Brunswick (NB) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Centre of Excellence is a bilingual, provincial, community-based model that incorporates a holistic, collaborative, client-centred, strength-based, women-centred, trauma-informed approach to its healthcare services. 

The NB FASD Centre of Excellence takes great pride in providing a safe, kind, caring, and empathetic environment for all their clients and families. The Centre works very hard to create a safe and compassionate space for individuals and their families to share their unique stories and experiences to move towards a place of hope and healing. This culturally appropriate and safe program has also been acknowledged by Health Standards Organisation-Leading Practice (Accreditation Canada) as best practice. 


The Centre is currently funded by the Department of Health and is operated by Vitalité Health Network. Our mission is to offer services that include prevention, diagnostic, intervention, support and follow-up after the clinic to families and professionals working with individuals diagnosed with FASD.


The Centre also provides support and interventions to families and adults who do not meet the criteria for diagnosis or have been previously diagnosed. The core of our services is delivered by 5 Community Coordinators and 1 Aboriginal Liaison located in different parts of the province to ensure full coverage of all the communities, including all 15 First Nations communities in NB.


Let’s take a closer look at some of our services:
Prevention 

• The Centre provides information/ creates awareness / and gives training sessions for mothers and services providers regarding alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy. The FASD dialogue fosters genuine relationships building with service providers and future parents. This non-judgmental approach opens the doorway to true and honest conversations regarding alcohol consumption.
• The Centre provides resource materials that support evidence-based practices.
• The Centre provides consultations regarding evidence-based approaches to working with women with substance misuse using woman-centred and trauma-informed practice.

 
Diagnosis

• The Centre has a multidisciplinary team that provides a complete diagnostic assessment to individuals that are 0-18 years of age who have been exposed to prenatal alcohol or have a strong suspicion of being exposed to prenatal alcohol.
• A bilingual, multidisciplinary team completes this comprehensive diagnostic assessment of a Pediatrician, Physician, Psychologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Community Coordinator or Aboriginal Liaison, and the Program Manager. The Centre also invites other professionals to participate in the multidisciplinary meeting held on the last day of clinic week who works directly with the individual being assessed or the family. These professionals may consist of but are not limited to school principal or teachers, resource teachers, mental health workers, social workers, group home directors or workers, elders, justice and public safety, lawyers, doctors, etc.
• All diagnostic clinics are held in Moncton over a 4-day period (Monday to Thursday). The Community coordinators, in collaboration with Social Development, will help find resources and services to help the families who need financial assistance during this week.
• The family is at the core of the diagnostic process and is considered a vital member of the diagnostic team.
• A preliminary report that is client-centred and provides strength-based recommendations are given to the family or legal guardian on the last day of the clinic during the family meeting.
• Referral forms are available upon request, and we accept referrals from everyone, even self-referrals.

 
Intervention and Support

• The Centre will support and lead individuals and their families to appropriate community services before and after the diagnosis and will continue to follow with individuals and their families after diagnosis, and this is across the lifespan or as needed basis.
• The Centre will provide early interventions training, education and support to families or caregivers and professionals involve prior to diagnosis of a child or infant who has been exposed to prenatal alcohol and identified as high risk of having FASD.
• The Centre provides consultation to professionals working with adults with FASD.
• The Centre also provides a 2-day FASD training following diagnosis to everyone involved with the client and their families. This is where we web appropriate resources and services, identify key stakeholders that will need to be involved with the client, addressed any silos and map out the wrap-around services. The purpose of this wrap-around services is to have all professionals and caregivers on board to better understand the clients' needs, strengths, and challenges based on the diagnostic assessments and recommendations. Our services are not limited to the client. We will provide services to the family or caregiver and the community; our parallel approach supports the family and the community better. Because we know that a healthy family and a community engagement will better support the child and the family.
• The Community Coordinator will participate in case conferences and will provide education and training for professionals to ensure that the recommendations that were put forth on diagnosis day are respected and implemented by advocating for accommodations.
• The Community Coordinator participates in youth transitioning to adulthood case plans by webbing appropriate services and resources across the lifespan.
• The Community Coordinators provide education and counselling services on FASD to individuals with FASD and their families. 

 
Building community capacity

• The Centre truly believes in building community capacity in all regions of the province regarding FASD; the Centre will work in collaboration with other organizations in the field of education and creating awareness. 
• The Centre works collaboratively with other government agencies such as education, social development, healthcare, mental health and addictions, Aboriginal affairs, and justice and public safety.
• The Centre believes in building knowledge, community education, and providing FASD intervention strategies.
• The Centre believes in Building FASD Communities of Practice across the province.
• The Centre also encourages regional teams to observe and participate in clinics.

 
Dream Catcher Service Delivery Model
The NB FASD Dream Catcher Service Delivery Model was developed and designed with the knowledge and wisdom of our elders and community partners from all 15 First Nation communities. This unique gift was given to us by elders for appropriate service delivery in our province regarding FASD. 
This culturally appropriate and safe Apigsigtoagen practice has been identified and is referenced in the NB FASD Dream Catcher Service Delivery Model as a guide to help inform and support change for our healthcare providers. It merges our traditional western medicines with our First Nations Science and how both can be integrated into our service delivery as healthcare best practice when working with Indigenous clients. This model was also developed to address the TRC’s 94 calls to action, specifically #33 and #34, which speak directly about FASD. 
This model of care helps to empower community stakeholders working with the client and the family. Due to the complexity of an FASD diagnosis, this model allows for collaborative and respectful work that better understands and delivers services to the client and his family. 
The Dream Catcher Model is also a means of addressing front-line healthcare workers, addressing social determinants of health, identifying “gaps” in services to prevent secondary and tertiary outcomes that occur as a result of missing community services or lack of FASD understanding, or that do not address the real needs of the individuals with FASD. This model is a living document and will need to be continually adapted to the changing needs of the individual and his family. It is a shared responsibility among all of us to help support interdependence, foster genuine relationships, and ensure that the individual with FASD and their families have a strong and secure foundation that will enable them to contribute to society to the best of their abilities in their communities.


Here is a link to our website’s videos: https://www.vitalitenb.ca/en/points-service/health-centres-and-clinics/new-brunswick-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-fasd-centre-excellence/videos-and-testimonies 
we have 4 videos that were created to better understand our services and the approach that we take.

1. The step-by-step video will walk you through all 4 days of assessment, which will help orient the families and clients when they come to the clinic.
2. The tour video was created for children and adolescents to watch to help with anxiety and transition.
3. The stigma video was created to help biological mothers to come forward.
4. And lastly, the Dream Catcher Video was created to show how we have adapted our ways of providing services to meet the needs of our Indigenous populations.

My journey into FASD work has been multi-layered and driven by an interest in FASD at the personal, professional and research levels. Having worked for fasdNL since 2015, I am continually reminded of the complexity of addressing FASD and the importance of collaborative approaches. 

In 2019, I had the opportunity to conduct FASD work at the Atlantic level with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). During that time, I worked on moving forward some FASD initiatives that would benefit the four Atlantic provinces. A key piece of work was mapping the current FASD work underway in each province and gathering various individuals' contact information. Each person I spoke with, I would ask for recommendations on who else to speak to. Sometimes they mentioned a name I was familiar with; other times, it was completely new information. Often this meant cold calling, introducing myself, introducing the work underway and hoping for the best. What emerged from this was a clear indication that folks across the Atlantic sometimes knew (or knew of) another individual in their region or province. 

People that I spoke to often worked in ‘pockets’, unaware of FASD work underway in other regions of the province or in neighbouring Atlantic provinces. There was no central hub of information and little to no inter-regional or inter-provincial sharing of information, training, resources, or collaborative action. For individuals living with FASD and their parents or caregivers, this disconnect and the lag in FASD responses in Atlantic Canada has other ramifications. Where does one seek support and information about FASD relevant to their everyday life? How can one seek support at a peer or professional level from others who understand FASD?  What does it mean to be impacted by FASD in Atlantic Canada or to know or love someone who is? 
These questions and the magnitude of the responses necessary stay with me; they inform the urgency I feel on a daily basis to move forward FASD work, however small, in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Atlantic Canada. 

Following the end of the contract with PHAC, I was left with the same question. What more can be done for FASD work in Atlantic Canada? In 2020, fasdNL received an answer of sorts. With an increased funding commitment from the provincial government and provincial representation at the already existing Atlantic Intergovernmental FASD Partnership, we had a clear possibility. With increased capacity, fasdNL was able to test the waters for the development of an Atlantic-wide FASD community network. Initial conversations indicated that yes, others were interested too. In July 2020, using the extensive contacts compiled during the contractual work with PHAC, we held an initial meeting. The response from stakeholders from the four provinces was overwhelmingly positive. This marked the formation of the Atlantic FASD Community Network, a group of stakeholders from the four Atlantic provinces undertaking work at the community or committee level. The Network provides stakeholders with an opportunity to share FASD related work underway in their regions in addition to information, resources, and training materials. It also provides an opportunity to strengthen networks within each respective Atlantic province.
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This blog draws upon the Network's collaborative effort and the individuals that we work with across Atlantic Canada to give voice to FASD work underway and various perspectives from across the four provinces. Importantly, this blog is a way of centring the voices of individuals with lived experience with FASD, either diagnosed themselves or as parents or caregivers. The posts you will read here provide unique perspectives of individuals’ own experiences. While these may not be universal or relatable to all, we hope that readers gain a heightened understanding about working or living with FASD in Atlantic Canada. Welcome to the blog and stay tuned for future posts!