FASD: Support and Intervention

Substance Use Treatment in FASD Populations

What have we done?

We are excited to announce that SUAP is a completed project! Through the original SUAP project, we explored treatment considerations for individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) by speaking with individuals with lived experience, caregivers, and treatment providers and exploring the research literature. SUAP highlighted the importance of screening for FASD, identifying treatment facilitators, identifying and addressing barriers to treatment, and making plans for transitioning out of treatment. The importance of culturally safe, strengths-based, and trauma-informed practice was highlighted, as were considerations around creative and relational approaches to supporting the wellbeing of individuals with FASD. The need for FASD training and education was emphasized as well as the importance of program evaluation to highlight successes and areas for growth. From that work, we made a resource guide and accompanying training modules.

We have released our guide and the accompanying training modules for substance use treatment professionals. This guide will help inform practitioners at the unique intersection of FASD-informed substance use care. Evaluation of the guide and the modules is ongoing. Our completed guide can be accessed here and the training modules here. The guide and module are to help support people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) who are trying to decrease their use of substances. They contain important information about the best ways to help these individuals. We believe that with the right kind of support, people with FASD can do great in substance use treatment! For more information on the guide and the modules, please visit the CanFASD website.

What are we doing?

SUAP-Y is an extension of the SUAP project. This project utilizes research to inform adaptations to the former guide with a focus on youth-specific support considerations for substance use treatment for youth with FASD. When SUAP-Y is complete it will provide recommendations, guidelines, and tools for supporting youth with FASD in their substance use treatment.

Current Research Team

Dr. Kaitlyn McLachlan

Meghan Regier

In partnership with:

FASD and Aggression

Beeby_WCHRI_FASDandAggression_brochure.pdf

Math Interactive Learning Experience Implementation Study

The Math Interactive Learning Experience (MILE) program is a collection of resources that can be used to close individual student's learning gaps and support behavioural regulation at the same time. MILE builds math confidence by advancing children through the MILE program at their own pace using tools and strategies developed to compensate for problems that impede learning these concepts. The MILE Program was developed in the United States by Drs. Julie Kable, Elles Taddeo, Claire Coles, and Molly Millians. They have conducted extensive research on the MILE program and established MILE as an effective math intervention for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). It is a strategy based, structured yet flexible approach to student learning developed for children functioning between 3-10 years of age or a Pre Kindergarten to 5th grade level.

This project is in an implementation and evaluation stage. Through a close partnership with the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium we are training Alberta public school teachers on MILE. Pre-test, post-training, and post-test measures are gathered to better understand teachers' experience learning MILE and implementing it in their classrooms.

This research is made possible by our education partners at Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium: John Waterhouse, Adelee Penner and colleagues.

In partnership:

Current Research

Christine Wiebe Buchanan

Vanessa Boila

Interested in Learning More?

Leveraging Evidence to Support Improved Mental Health Service Delivery for Youth with FASD

Our project focuses on enhancing mental health treatment options for youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and fostering practitioner competency in delivering effective interventions. We aim to promote FASD-informed mental health care and create lasting positive change for affected individuals and communities.

We implement evidence-based mental health interventions tailored for youth with FASD, ensuring their unique needs are addressed. By assessing the effectiveness of these interventions, we can refine our approach and maximize benefits for this population.

Additionally, we are documenting adaptations made to best suit the needs of individuals with FASD, providing valuable insights for future interventions. Our goal is to develop a framework to guide practitioners in systematically adapting high-fidelity interventions, enhancing the applicability of existing evidence-based interventions for youth with FASD.

Through this focused approach, our project aims to increase the availability of effective mental health treatment options and equip practitioners with the skills and knowledge necessary to support youth with FASD in achieving their full potential.

Current Researchers

Self-Regulation Study

The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a modified self-regulation intervention for adolescents with FASD, examining improvements in cognitive, behavioral, and physiological indices of self-regulation. The study also gathered information on program satisfaction and efficacy. Results showed that the self-regulation intervention led to improvements in sleep, self-regulation strategy use, and executive functioning among adolescents with FASD. These findings highlight the importance of evidence-based interventions to support adolescents with FASD in developing self-regulation skills and promoting healthy outcomes.

This study has result in numerous publications! Here is a paper looking at sleep and adaptive behaviour in adolescents with FASD. Here is a paper looking broadly at self-regulation stratgies in FASD.