The New Brunswick FASD Centre of Excellence

New Brunswick FASD Centre of Excellence

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.