CanFASD series on FASD FAQ's Part 5 of 5

In the final video of CanFASD’s series on FASD FAQs, Dr. Hanlon-Dearman is asked “What are the most important things service providers should know about supporting people with FASD and their families?”  Dr. Hanlon-Dearman starts by saying service providers need to be informed and educated about FASD.  The Rural FASD Support Network supports this statement and believes it's paramount that education and awareness extends to the general public and eliminate stigma.  People with FASD are served by waitresses, gas station attendants, bankers, attorneys, and anyone else in the general public including yourselves.  People with FASD are also in the media and interact with people of Ontario in all walks of life.  Life with FASD is challenging enough without having to deal with misinformed stigma.  This is why one of the Rural FASD Support Network’s mandates is to provide education and awareness to all sectors of society and are seeking your help in getting this message out.  Other organizations such as CanFASD and Citizen Advocacy have similar mandates.  This is why the province of Alberta has contracted CanFASD to provide online training to all Albertans and it is our hope that Ontario would look to emulate this best practice.  Citizen Advocacy has been leading the way by training over 4,000 service providers in the Ottawa area as well.

Dr. Hanlon-Dearman goes on to say it is also important to recognize each individual with FASD is a unique individual and may change over time.  Within my family alone, our three children all have FASD, but are completely different from each other.  They all have completely unique strengths, completely unique needs, completely unique personalities and our parenting style is unique to each child.  Each of the 90 families represented by our organization are unique to themselves as well.  This is why we are bringing 16 different families and 17 different infants, children, youth and adults with FASD with us to Queen’s Park on Monday, Feb 24.  The uniqueness of each of our families will be obvious.  In a couple weeks, we are expecting to share with you a profile of each of our children and youth outlining their accomplishments, their dreams and their challenges.

However, we have also seen common obstacles all of our families have had to overcome.  Within our monthly support group, we have been able to problem-solve several issues for our families through lived experience.  The issues we haven’t been able to resolve are primarily due to current legislature at all three levels of government.  As a result, we used the Ontario FASD Roundtable Report of 2015 as the foundational document and have partnered with the Canadian FASD Research Network and the Policy Department of Citizen Advocacy to identify where the current challenges at a provincial level now lay.  In our last four blogs, we will share with you what those current challenges are and provide a starting point for discussion on potential solutions.

We are thrilled to be sponsored by MPP Clark and supported by MPP Taylor in helping bring awareness on FASD to yourselves and the general public.  Once again, we will have displays setup with FASD service providers and support group leaders in Room 230 starting at 10am on Monday, Feb. 24 with speakers and greetings starting at noon and finishing around 12:30.  Lunch will be provided while several youth with FASD will be sharing their stories.  We thank the 15 MPP’s from three parties who have already confirmed their attendance and we look forward to having further discussions with you.  Please know as part of our organization, we have ten teams of three people each available to meet during the morning and/or afternoon on Monday, Feb 24 as well.  Within these teams, you will have the opportunity to listen to an individual with FASD share their story, a Rural FASD Support Network spokesperson, and an expert service provider who works within your responsibility.  To confirm your attendance or to book a private meeting, please email Rob at ruralfasd@gmail.com and it will be our pleasure to meet with you.