FASD Support and Resources in Alberta

FASD Outreach Services [Central Alberta]

Description:

'McMan’s F.A.S.D. Outreach Program provides education, information, support, resources, mentoring services, coaching and advocacy to parents and caregivers of children who have (or are suspected to have) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

The F.A.S.D. Outreach Program provides services to caregivers of children living with FASD. Clients may be self referred or referred by Resources for Children with Disabilities, a community source or by a child protection worker.' (from McMan's website)

Contact Info:

McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association - Central Region
5028-49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta  T4G 1M1
Tel:  403 227-5580    Fax: 403 227-5541

Program Manager: Bart Haddow # 403-227-8129

Website: McMan - Central Alberta page

Other Info:

Note that the webpage does not offer more information about this program.

FASD Outreach Program [Southwest Alberta]

Description:

'McMan’s F.A.S.D. Outreach Program provides education, information, support, resources, mentoring services, coaching and advocacy to parents and caregivers of children who have (or are suspected to have) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).'

Contact Info:

McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association -Southwest Region
203, 517 - 4th Ave South, Lethbridge, Alberta  T1J 0N4
Tel. 403 328-2488     Fax: 403 328-2645
Outreach Worker: Laura Elliot 403-328-2488

Website: McMan's Southwest Region page

Other Info:

Note that the webpage gives additional information about what McMan offers in the Southwest, but no more info about the FASD program.

Lakeland Centre for FASD [Lakeland Region]

Description:

"The Centre coordinates and undertakes activities to increase awareness of and prevent FASD.  Multi-disciplinary, mobile diagnostic teams provide diagnosis, assessment, and intervention for children and adults throughout the region.  Training is available about FASD, best practices for professionals and paraprofessionals.  The Mothers to be Mentorship provides intensive mentoring and support to high risk pregnant women, assisting them to achieve and maintain sobriety in order to prevent an FASD birth.

List of Services:

* Coordination of FASD Diagnostic/Assessment Teams for Children

* Coordination of FASD Diagnostic/Assessment Teams for Adults

* Family Supports

* Cold Lake Mothers-to-be Mentorship Program

* Bonnyville Alcohol/Drug Awareness Project

* FASD Education & Training

* The Lakeland Center for FASD Summer Camp

"It is our focus to provide a fun and safe environment where children with FASD can be themselves." The Lakeland Centre for FASD hosts 6, week long camps between July and August. The camp will be held at Camp Cooinda on Ethel Lake just outside of Cold Lake, Alberta.

Eligibility • Diagnosis of FASD, ages 8-17, can be from anywhere in Canada
Camp fees are $500.00 per child, though families may consider seeking assistance through Family Support for Children with Disabilities or their local services clubs (i.e. Lions Club). The centre can assist with this.
For more information, including camp applications visit our services page

* Resource Development

* Information Clearinghouse

Contact Info:
Lakeland FASD Centre
Box 479, Cold Lake, Alberta T9M 1P1
Tel. 780 594-9905  Fax 780 594-9907
Website:  Lakeland FASD Centre

Family Support for Children with Disabilities [Alberta]

Description:
"Family support services are available to families caring for a child with a diagnosed disability or to families who are awaiting confirmation of their child's diagnosis. These services are primarily based on the needs as identified by the family.

In addition to information, referral and advocacy supports, family support services also include assistance with counselling, extraordinary clothing and footwear costs, travel costs for medical appointments, meals while traveling to medical appointments, accommodation costs associated with attending medical appointments and respite services.

Child-focused services are provided when a child has a confirmed diagnosis and assessment information to specify their individual needs. Child-focused services provide a range of respite services, aide supports, child care supports, health-related supports, specialized services for children with severe disabilities and out-of-home living arrangements."

Contact Info:
Family Support for Children with Disabilities
#500 ING Building
10130 -103 St. NW, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N6
Tel. 780 427-4354
Provincial program: 780 427-2551 (toll-free 310-0000)
Child Disability Resource Link: province-wide # 1-866-346-4661 (weekdays 8 - 8, Saturdays 8 - 4)
Family Support for Children with Disabilities - website

Other Info:
This is a wonderful service of the Alberta Government.  Thanks for helping us care for the ones we love!

Coaching Families [Edmonton & area]

Description:

A "pilot project to help families who have children with FASD.

Goals of this project are to: build on family strengths, ensure the children are in a safe and stable environment, increase understanding and knowledge of FASD among families, caregivers and other community supporters, and provide families with strategies and tools to decrease the risk of secondary disabilities (e.g. financial or legal difficulties)."

Contact Information:

Coaching Families (a service of Catholic Social Services)

#200 - 9137 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5H 3T2

Tel 780 477-1999 ext. 100    Fax  780 477-2499

www.catholicsocialservices.ab.ca

Other Info:

Referrals are accepted from the community. Child must be under 18 years of age.  No fee for this service. Donations to annual fundraising campaign gratefully accepted.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services [Edmonton]

Description:

'Special help is given to parents raising children affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD). The program aims to reduce the occurrence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) in the community. Women at a high risk of having an affected child can get the support they need to make positive lifestyle changes. Awareness of the dangers of drinking during pregnancy is a major component of the program with staff making presentations and being available at community events. In a recent development, Bissell Centre now offers support to adults suffering from FASD to help them maintain a positive lifestyle and prevent the development of secondary disabilities.'

Parent Child Advocacy
Parent Child Advocacy provides long-term support to women wanting a healthy pregnancy and child.

Adult Advocacy
Adult Advocacy provides one-on-one long-term support to adults who are affected by FASD.

Community Education
Community Educators present to small and large groups on the issues of FASD. Each presentation is tailored to the business, school or organization’s audience and to the group’s requests.  All presentations are free of charge.  

Contact Info:

Bissell Centre - Making a difference in Edmonton's inner city

Alaina Thursby  [email protected]

Tel. 780 423-2285 ext. 157

Website: Bissell Centre - Services page

Note: this program was formerly called Well Community, Well Families.

"Broken Heart: Dealing with feelings of loss and understanding grief [Article]

Description:
This 21-page booklet is designed for use by a caregiver or mentor who is helping a person with FASD deal with grief, specifically related to boyfriend, girlfriend, divorce, partner or friendship.  Included at the end is a general mentoring page and a  mentor sheet on "How Can I Help a Person with FASD Deal with Sorrow" (resulting from a broken love relationship).

Access Info:
Grief Workbook (PDF, 592.9K). This resource was produced by Better Endings organization, and is now stored here as the link to the original web version is gone.
* If link does not download automatically by clicking on it, then right-click on it and choose "Save Target As...".

Step by Step [Edmonton & area]

Description:

'The program was created to address the needs and issues facing women who have been diagnosed with FASD and who are actively parenting children (with or without FASD). By providing long-term supports to mothers in the capacity of coaching/mentoring/advocating, the program will help to identify personal goals, learn basic life skills, address housing and safety issues, access health care services, access and integrate parenting information, connect with community supports, and connect and explore employment and educational options.' (from Region 6 FASD Committee document)

Contact Info:

Step by Step - Catholic Social Services

Tel. 780 477-1999 ext. 100  Fax 780 477-2499

Website:  Step by Step webpage

Other Info:

Webpage does not offer additional information on the program.

First Steps (FAS) Program [Edmonton]

Description:

'The First Steps Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) program offers mentorship for women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth and have used drugs or alcohol during the pregnancy.' (from CSS website)

'First Steps (FAS) Program ... provides intensive home visiting, support and advocacy to women at risk of having a child with FASD with the explicit aim of building self-advocacy skills and positive mutual support networks and to identify service barriers through working with families.' (from Edmonton and Area CFS website)

Contact Info:

Catholic Social Services
8815 - 99 Street, Edmonton AB T6E 3V3
Tel. 780 432-1137   Fax  780 439-3154

Website:  First Steps (FAS) Program page

Other Info:

Webpage does not offer additional information.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Support Program [Wetaskiwin & Drayton Valley]

Description:

Provides direct support, community outreach, advocacy and information sharing to assist children and families affected by FASD in the Wetaskiwin and Drayton Valley area.

Contact Info:

Catholic Social Services - Wetaskiwin Office
5206 51 Avenue, Wetaskiwin, AB T9A 0V4
Tel. 780 352-5535   Fax: 780 352-3190

Website: FASD Support Program page

Other Info:

Webpage does not provide additional information.

Enhanced Services for Women [Edmonton/Calgary/Grande Prairie]

Description:

'This program provides an enhanced level of prevention and addiction treatment services to pregnant women using alcohol and other drugs. Counsellors work on an outreach basis to better reach women and to provide assessment, counselling and referral services.' (from CCSA)

Contact Info:
Enhanced Services for Women

Edmonton: AADAC Adult Counselling and Prevention Services
10010-102A Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3G2
Phone : 780-415-0786 or 780-415-0776

Calgary: AADAC Adult Counselling and Prevention Services
2nd Floor, 1177-11th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2R 1K9
Phone: 403-297-3033 or 403-297-3066

Grande Prairie: AADAC Northern Addictions Centre
11333-106 Street, Grande Prairie, Alberta T8V 6T7
Phone: 780-538-6356

Program Coordinator
5th Floor, 10909 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3M9
Phone: 780-422-2651

Website: AADAC The Treatment Services for Women page lists Enhanced Services for Women.

List of Some Professionals and Agencies [Alberta]

Description:

This is a listing of various professionals and agencies across Alberta, who work in the area of FASD.  The list gives the name of the town or city, the name of the agency or person, and email addresses in most cases.  Unfortunately, it does not usually specify the kind of service provided.  Nonetheless, the list may prove helpful to someone living in a smaller centre.

FASD Friends webpage

Other Info:

Some of these items from the above-listed webpage are posted elsewhere on our site, with more detail.

Central Alberta FAS Outreach Program [Red Deer & area]

Description:

'Family Support: Emotional and functional support to child/adult and family; linking child/family to services; providing resources and assisting with strategies to cope with challenges faced as a result of a diagnosis of FASD; assisting in obtaining assessment/diagnosis; provides children and families with an opportunity to stabilize in their home/community.' (from child.gov.ab.ca website).

Contact Info:

Sue Castensen: 403 340-3885.

Website: Getting Help: Region 4

Mentoring Case Management [Hinton, Edson, Jasper]

Description:

'Mentoring Case Management. Aims to support youth and young adults (12-25) affected with FASD to acquire essential supports that will enable them to build and maintain healthy lives including linking them to government, community and professional supports.'  (from child.gov.ab.ca website)

Contact Info:

Mikk Peek:  780 723-8237