A new report from the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), Unlocking the Potential: Integrated Mental Health in Primary Care, calls for stronger teamwork, better workforce training, improved access, and more coordinated mental health care across the country. The report paints a clear picture: Canadians need mental health services that are more connected, person-centred, and easier to access.
For those working in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), the report raises an important question: is Canada’s mental health workforce ready to meet the needs of people with FASD?
FASD and mental health
Many people with FASD experience mental health challenges throughout their lives, with estimates suggesting that up to and over 90% experience co-occurring mental health issues. They may seek support from family physicians, psychologists, social workers, counsellors, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, or community mental health teams.
For many individuals, primary care is the first place they ask for help, the setting highlighted in the MHCC report. But accessing mental health care is only part of the picture. People with FASD may enter the healthcare system without a diagnosis, or with another diagnosis that does not fully explain their needs. Diagnosing FASD is complex and requires assessment across multiple neurodevelopmental domains.. The CanFASD Mental Health Resource and Practice Guide also provides guidance for mental health professionals supporting people who may have FASD but do not yet have a diagnosis.
Mental health care starts with understanding
Many behaviours associated with FASD can be misunderstood. Difficulties with memory, attention, emotional regulation, communication, executive functioning, or adapting to change may be mistaken for a lack of motivation, poor insight, or non-compliance. Without an FASD-informed approach, people may receive treatments or expectations that do not match their strengths and support needs. This can lead to frustration, for both the individual and the professionals trying to help (FASD Informed Education).
Understanding neurodevelopment and the challenges individuals with FASD may experience is key to effective and appropriate mental health care. Importantly, being FASD-informed is not simply about recognizing FASD. Mental health interventions may also need to be adapted to reflect the unique strengths, challenges and neurodevelopmental needs of people with FASD. A systematic review of mental health and substance use interventions for people with prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD highlights the importance of continuing to build the evidence base for effective, appropriately tailored supports.
MHCC report highlights opportunities
One of the strengths of the MHCC report is its focus on building a workforce that can respond to increasingly complex mental health needs.
The report identifies several priorities, including:
- growing workforce capacity and skills;
- strengthening team-based care;
- scaling culturally safe and community-led approaches;
- improving coordination across services; and
- using data to improve care.
These recommendations align closely with what many people in the FASD community have been advocating for. Educating healthcare and other professionals about FASD prevention, diagnosis, and support is also a key component of Canada’s proposed National Framework on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which is currently moving through Parliament (Bill S-234).
What would an FASD-informed workforce look like?
Building an FASD-informed mental health workforce doesn’t necessarily mean creating entirely new services. It means ensuring existing professionals have the knowledge and confidence to recognize FASD and adapt their practice.
An FASD-informed workforce would include professionals who:
- understand how FASD affects brain development and daily functioning;
- recognize individual strengths alongside support needs;
- adapt communication and therapeutic approaches;
- work collaboratively across health, education, disability, justice, and community services; and
- partner with individuals and families to provide person-centred care.
These principles complement the MHCC’s vision of integrated, team-based care, which is a vision that CanFASD shares.
That’s why CanFASD created the free Mental Health Resource and Practice Guide, an online resource designed to help mental health professionals and service providers better understand FASD and build their capacity to provide FASD-informed support.
Everyone has a role to play
Canada is investing in a stronger mental health workforce. As these efforts move forward, FASD should be part of the conversation. FASD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disabilities in Canada, yet training on FASD for mental health professionals is often limited, leaving some feeling unprepared to recognize and support people with FASD in their practice. Without that knowledge, even well-designed systems may struggle to meet the needs of individuals with FASD and their families.
Integrating FASD education into workforce development, professional training, and primary care teams represents an opportunity to strengthen Canada’s mental health system, not only for people with FASD, but for everyone who benefits from person-centred, coordinated care. As Canada works toward a more integrated mental health system, ensuring the workforce is FASD-informed is one important step toward making that vision a reality.
References
“FASD and Mental Health in Adolescence: Factsheets: Resources.” Learning With FASD, 1 July 2026, learningwithfasd.org.au/resources/fact-sheets/mental-health-in-adolescence/.
“Unlocking the Potential: Integrated Mental Health in Primary Care.” Mental Health Commission of Canada, 14 July 2026, mentalhealthcommission.ca/resource/integrated-mental-health-in-primary-care/.
“FASD Informed Education.” FASD Informed UK, www.fasdinformed.co.uk/fasdinformededucation.
“Mental Health Toolkit: Section 4.” Mental Health Resource and Practice Guide, CanFASD, 5 Oct. 2023, canfasd.ca/mental-health-toolkit/mental-health-toolkit-section-4/.
Cook, J. L., Green, C. R., Lilley, C. M., Anderson, S. M., Baldwin, M. E., Chudley, A. E., Conry, J. L., LeBlanc, N., Loock, C. A., Lutke, J., Mallon, B. F., McFarlane, A. A., Temple, V. K., & Rosales, T. (2016). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A guideline for diagnosis across the lifespan. CMAJ, 188(3), 191–197. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.141593
“Public Bill (Senate) S-234 (45-1) – First Reading – National Framework on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Act – Parliament of Canada.” Public Bill (Senate) S-234 (45-1) – First Reading – National Framework on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Act – Parliament of Canada, www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/S-234/first-reading. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.
Flannigan, Katherine et al. “A Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Mental Health and Substance Use Outcomes for Individuals with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.” Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research vol. 44,12 (2020): 2401-2430. doi:10.1111/acer.14490