Do You Want to Help Prevent FASD? Don’t Know Where to Start?
JOIN THE PREVENTION ACTION GROUP
MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT
Our Prevention Action Group is recruiting new members. We are looking for individuals who wish to develop and promote provincial strategies for the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Meetings are held virtually every two months.
Our Prevention Action Group is a sub-group of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Ontario Network of Expertise (FASD ONE). FASD ONE is a volunteer collaborative of practitioners, specialists and caregivers committed to the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the development and dissemination of information that will support individuals and their families affected by FASD. FASD ONE believes Ontario has the capacity to meet many of the needs of those living with FASD and to reduce the use of alcohol during pregnancy.
To join:
Send an email expressing your interest and include a brief bio of your work within the FASD field.
Send your email to Janice Balfour, Chair, FASD ONE Leads Committee at: info@fasdontario.ca
About Us
Canadian prevention specialists have developed a comprehensive report that outlines four main categories for prevention approaches. (see cp-pc-eng.pdf (canada.ca) ) At FASD ONE, our prevention action group follows these guidelines and focus our prevention initiatives based on:
Level 1: Raising public awareness through campaigns and other broad strategies.
Level 2: Creating opportunities for discussions with girls and women of childbearing years.
Level 3: Promoting supportive services that are specialized, culturally safe and accessible for women with alcohol problems, history of trauma and related health concerns.
Level 4: Promoting and supporting new mothers to maintain healthy changes.
The Prevention Action Group is a sub-group of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Ontario Network of Expertise (FASD ONE).
FASD ONE is a volunteer collaborative of practitioners, specialists and caregivers committed to the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the development and dissemination of information that will support individuals and their families affected by FASD. FASD ONE believes Ontario has the capacity to meet many of the needs of those living with FASD and to reduce the use of alcohol during pregnancy.
Highlight of the Month
Every Moment Matters is a new nation-wide project out of Australia that has compiled evidence-based research and information about using alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Explore the website: Every Moment Matters: About Every Moment Matters is a prevention campaign to support mothers to go alcohol free throughout all the stages of pregnancy, including pre-conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
FASD AWARENESS RESOURCES
FASD Awareness Month—September
The first FASD Awareness Day occurred in 1999 on the ninth month on the ninth day. Celebrations that day included a ringing of bells across many different countries at 9:09 am. It was a reminder that women should refrain from drinking alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy. Celebrations have continued to grow since this first occasion.
FASD AWARENESS TOOLKITS AND RESOURCES
FASD Awareness Activities
Social Media Campaigns: The following are websites that provide tools and information to host social media campaigns.
Social Media Images – CanFASD
Red Shoes Rock – Global Voice for Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
square-brochure-info-pack-v8-digital-2021-june.cdr (nofasd.org.au)
National FASD Strategy – CanFASD
FASD Awareness Month – CanFASD
FASD Awareness Month – Saskatchewan Prevention Institute (skprevention.ca)
Facebook Sites: The following are Facebook sites that provide tools and information for FASD Awareness Campaigns.
(20+) FASD NL Network | Facebook Check out their Rock Art Painting Guide!
Nunatsiavut FASD Awareness https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069088244563
LEVELS OF PREVENTION– RESOURCES
Level 1: Raising public awareness through campaigns and other broad strategies.
Level 1 prevention focuses on everyone within society to raise awareness of the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding and reduce stigma and blame. Campaigns share information and resources on where and how to get support as well as promote community members at large to participate FASD prevention.
Articles, research papers, webinars on Level 1 prevention and can be seen at: Prevention – CanFASD
Archived FASD ONE Projects:
1. The Condom Project Network Webinar Archive – FASD, October 2019 – YouTube
LINK TO THE CONDOM PROJECT DOCUMENTATION
Level 2: Creating opportunities for discussions with girls and women of childbearing years.
Level 2 prevention focuses on all women within the childbearing years and is intended to provide information and support regarding pre-conception, prenatal and breastfeeding care. It is also important for service providers to connect childbearing women with information and resources to have healthy pregnancies and improve women’s decision-making regarding their care.
Women’s support networks whether formal or informal can have a positive impact on how women cope without the use of alcohol.
Articles, research papers, webinars on Level 2 prevention and can be seen at: Prevention – CanFASD
Level 3: Promoting supportive services that are specialized, culturally safe and accessible for women with alcohol problems, history of trauma and related health concerns & Level 4: Promoting and supporting new mothers to maintain healthy changes.
Level 3 prevention provides information, care and treatment for women who are using alcohol during their pregnancy and may have other related health, social or financial concerns. Care and support may include outreach or drop-in services in smaller settings through community-based programs. It is essential to provide support with a culturally safe and non-judgmental approach to reduce any barriers to service. Addiction services should be readily available and personalized to meet pregnant women’s needs.
Level 4 prevention provides ongoing culturally safe and non-judgmental care to prevent relapse in those
women who were able to stop using alcohol during pregnancy and ongoing support to those women who continued to struggle with alcohol use. It also provides care and support for birth mothers of children with FASD.
Articles, research papers, webinars on Level 3/4 prevention and can be seen at: Prevention – CanFASD
SHARING INFORMATION
If you would like to share your prevention campaigns, please email your information to:
info@fasdontario.ca and include “Prevention Action Group Information” in your email title.
The Condom Project- Archived
FASD ONE is excited to offer you a package to help you start conversations about alcohol and birth control use with all women and men of childbearing age.
This evidence-based resource will help you to begin conversations with women and men of childbearing age regarding alcohol and birth control use. The below information can be used with both men and women to proactively prevent FASD before a pregnancy occurs. Starting conversations about alcohol and birth control use is a unique opportunity to help reduce stigma and prevent FASD.
This project, also known as the Condom Project, was developed for the Community Action Programs for Children and the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Programs in Ontario. It contains, posters, condoms and tear off sheets to give to women and men regarding the need to be on reliable birth control if any alcohol is being consumed.
Before using the resources we encourage you to review the webinar at the following link: Webinar – Preventing FASD, The Condom Project.
We welcome anyone to use these resources as long as FASD ONE is acknowledged. See the posters and tear offs below. If you would like more information about them please contact us by email.
FASD ONE is grateful to the Public Health Agency of Canada who provided funding for this project. However, the views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency.
Resources to Prevent FASD – Condom Project
For service provider resources on alcohol during pregnancy
Best Start by Health Nexus
https://resources.beststart.org/product-category/resources/alcohol-and-drugs/
For general information on alcohol during pregnancy
Alcohol Free Pregnancy
https://www.alcoholfreepregnancy.ca/
Ontario Government is seeking input on Ontario’s Proposed Alcohol Strategy
If you have thoughts on this issue you are welcome to share them at AlcoholPolicyConsultations@Ontario.ca
Recommendations About Alcohol and Pregnancy
The safest choice in pregnancy is not to drink.
Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/dca-dea/prog-ini/fasd-etcaf/publications/cp-pc/index-eng.php
There is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Alcohol Use and Pregnancy Consensus Clinical Guidelines
http://sogc.org/guidelines/alcohol-use-and-pregnancy-consensus-clinical-guidelines/
http://pregnancy.sogc.org/alcohol-and-pregnancy/
If you are trying to get pregnant, you are pregnant or you suspect you might be pregnant avoid alcohol.
Canada’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines
http://www.ccsa.ca/Eng/topics/alcohol/drinking-guidelines/Pages/default.aspx
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause birth defects and brain damage to your baby. The safest choice in pregnancy is no alcohol at all. In fact, it is best to stop drinking before you get pregnant.
Best Start, Ontario’s Maternal, Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre
http://www.alcoholfreepregnancy.ca/
It is safest not to drink alcohol during pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant. There is no known safe level of drinking during pregnancy.
Canada FASD Research Network (CanFASD)
www.canfasd.ca
Making The Case for Prevention
- FASD is the leading preventable cause of developmental disability in Canada
- Prevention of FASD is a great return on investment
- FASD affects 1% of the Canadian population
- Many experts feel that the prevalence of FASD is much higher due to a lack of awareness about FASD in the medical community and a shortage of diagnostic services
- Estimated annual cost to support those with FASD in Canada is 5.3-7.6 billion dollars/year (birth to age 53) (Public Health Agency of Canada and CanFASD)
- The treatment and support for those affected by FASD is expensive and the disorder lasts a lifetime creating lifelong challenges for the individual and their support networks
- 800,000 – 1.4 million dollars/individual is the estimated cost to support those affected with FASD over a life time1
- If we prevent just one case of FASD we will save $800,000 to 1.4 million dollars
- Youth with FASD are 19X more likely to be incarcerated than non-affected peers2
- If we spend $150,000 on the prevention of FASD we would save 1.5 million dollars in prevention1
- It is important to develop strategies that are evidence informed to use our resources wisely
Time to Get Serious About FASD Prevention – Dr. Sterling Clarren
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0HLMNBmmDw