Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) impacts individuals, families, and communities across Canada. Local governments play a crucial role in raising awareness, supporting prevention efforts, and fostering inclusive, FASD-informed communities.  

Here are several ways provincial and regional governments, as well as local municipalities can take meaningful action. 

Raising awareness through proclamations  

One of the simplest yet most impactful actions local and regional governments can take is issuing official proclamations each year recognizing FASD Awareness Month and FASD Awareness Day. These declarations highlight the significance of FASD, demonstrate public commitment to inclusion, encourage community engagement, and help reduce stigma. While proclamations are not legally binding, they serve as formal public statements that raise awareness and promote understanding. 

Sherisse Picklyk Dear, one of the Chairs of the Interlake FASD Committee in Selkirk, Manitoba, shares her experience: 

“In the spring of 2022, the Interlake FASD Committee, based out of Selkirk, Manitoba, was working on plans for the annual FASD Awareness Day event. We were aware that the Province of Manitoba had proclaimed FASD Awareness Day in 2021. Our committee has had many FASD Awareness Day events since 2014 in the city of Selkirk. This community has always been quite supportive of our events and endeavours. Our committee decided to ask the Mayor and council if they would continue their support of our FASD awareness campaigns, by proclaiming September 9th as FASD Awareness Day in Selkirk, Manitoba.  

A document with the request was created by our subcommittee and submitted to the Mayor of Selkirk in June 2022. We also created wording for the proclamation, similar to the Province of Manitoba’s proclamation. We were advised that we were granted the proclamation and that the Mayor, Mr. Johannson, would be in attendance to present the placard to us. We created a poster to help advertise our event and included our guest speaker Mayor Johannson. At the event, the Mayor briefly spoke and presented the placard to us.” 

Sherisse Picklyk Dear with Mayor, Mr. Johannson 

CanFASD has a proclamation template available for organizations and municipalities looking to implement similar initiatives in their communities. 

Investing in an FASD-informed workforce  

Supporting individuals with FASD begins with comprehensive education and training. Professionals working with families, children, and expectant parents must have a thorough understanding of the complexities of FASD in order to provide effective, informed care. 

Several provinces have demonstrated leadership in this area. In Alberta and Manitoba, governments have invested in evidence-based training for health care providers, educators, and social service professionals. Both provinces subsidize training, making CanFASD’s online courses freely available to professionals. Alberta also launched WRAP 2.0, a specialized training program for educators. CanFASD was contracted to help develop the evidence-based content for this program. Over in Saskatchewan, the provincial government funds the FASD Network, which delivers in-person training to frontline workers and community agencies across the province. 

Investing in an FASD-informed workforce ensures equitable access to services, including assessment and diagnosis, family supports, school accommodations, and adult services. Professionals who are trained in FASD can help identify needs early and connect individuals to appropriate supports across their lifespan. Local governments seeking partnerships with CanFASD can contact info@canfasd.ca. 

Creating FASD-informed policies  

Not all government programs or policies meet the needs of people with developmental disabilities. Policies that explicitly account for individuals with FASD result in better outcomes, including reduced involvement with child protection services, lower recidivism rates, and decreased reliance on mental health and substance use services. 

Alberta’s Transitional Mentorship Program is a strong example of an FASD-informed policy. This initiative delivers trauma-informed, targeted support to individuals with FASD involved in the correctional system. Now available in every provincial correctional institution, the program is transforming how correctional services support this population. 

The importance of cross-ministry committees  

FASD spans multiple systems, including health, education, legal, and social services, making coordination across government departments essential. Cross-ministry committees improve continuity of care, enhance awareness of available supports, enable joint problem-solving around systemic issues, and build on successes across departments.  

New Brunswick has developed a range of services for individuals with FASD and their families and is now working toward a cross-government committee to strengthen information sharing and collaboration across departments. Ensuring equitable access across these systems is critical, so that assessment, diagnosis, and supports are available consistently to all individuals with FASD and their families. 

Developing a province-wide strategy 

In 2024, the Manitoba government launched its renewed five-year FASD Strategy, providing immediate and ongoing funding to support Manitobans with FASD and promote healthy pregnancies. The strategy includes community awareness campaigns, wraparound supports for pregnant people and families, and specialized supports throughout individuals’ lives. Manitoba’s $15.5 million annual investment demonstrates how early intervention and comprehensive support improve outcomes, serving as a model for other jurisdictions. 

CanFASD’s Provincial and Territorial Strategies for FASD issue paper examined approaches across Canada. At the time of that publication there were very few FASD-specific strategies, except for those from Alberta, Manitoba, and the Yukon.  Despite recommendations that provincial and territorial strategies for FASD are necessary to ensure a comprehensive, tailored, and intentional approach to preventing FASD and supporting communities, there has been very little movement made on this front. Manitoba, Alberta, and the Yukon still lead the pack in terms of a dedicated plan to address FASD in their regions. This level of commitment from government is essential to addressing FASD. These plans should be evidence-based, continually revised, and evaluated to determine their efficacy. Where an FASD-specific plan is not feasible, there should be FASD considerations built into other existing frameworks.   

Conclusion  

Addressing FASD requires coordinated efforts across multiple levels of government. Local and provincial governments, however, are uniquely positioned to make a tangible difference. Through proclamations, workforce training, community programming, and strategic partnerships, municipalities, provinces, and territories can promote healthy pregnancies, raise awareness, and create supportive environments for individuals and families in their communities.