CanFASD would like to introduce two new members to our Board of Directors: Dr. David Brown and Mr. Darren Joslin. David Brown (PhD) is a former Research and Evaluation Director with the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. He has also worked as a research scientist with both BC Mental Health and Addictions Services and with the Department of Family Medicine at … Read More

CanFASD staff have recently put together a document for Caregivers of individuals with FASD, titled ‘How to Explain an FASD Diagnosis to your Child’. This resource is intended to help guide you in explaining FASD to your child with FASD, along with: What it means to be diagnosed with FASD How your child might react to the diagnosis Tips on … Read More

Piruqatigiit Resource Centre (Piruqatigiit) is a community based non-profit organization in Iqaluit, Nunavut, with comprehensive professional knowledge of and lived experience with FASD. They provide education, resources, programming and support for children, youth and adults with FASD and their loved ones. Piruqatigiit also provides FASD training for organizations to better support accessibility, equity and inclusion for people with suspected and … Read More

Background Evidence-based prevention programs are an important part of preventing future alcohol-exposed pregnancies, but there is currently limited evidence to support the effectiveness of these programs in rural communities. The researchers who conducted this study looked at how a program in Alberta, Canada, offering one-on-one mentoring and long-term home visits to rural and isolated First Nations communities, is suitable in … Read More

Background Sexually active individuals of reproductive age are particularly at risk of unplanned alcohol-exposed pregnancies if they frequently consume alcohol and ineffectively use and/or fail to use contraception. The authors of this study examined contraceptive use in university students in Australia who consume alcohol. The authors also wanted to determine students’ knowledge of contraception, reproduction, risk of alcohol use during … Read More

Submitted by: Maria Soonias Ali, Youth Action for Prevention Provincial Coordinator, Saskatchewan Prevention Institute The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute is a non-profit organization, founded in 1980. Our focus is to reduce the occurrence of disabling conditions in children using primary prevention methods. We are committed to working collaboratively to share evidence-based information, provide education and training, and build capacity across the province. The Prevention … Read More

Submitted by Deborah Rutman Deborah Rutman is a Principal and Co-Founder of Nota Bene Consulting Group and adjunct faculty with the University of Victoria School of Social Work. Deb has extensive experience conducting community-based research and program evaluation related to FASD, and in knowledge exchange related to FASD-informed approaches to service delivery. In addition to co-leading the Co-Creating Evidence project, … Read More

Submitted by Lindsay Wolfson and Toni Winterhoff. Lindsay Wolfson (MPH) is a Research Coordinator at the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health and a consultant at the Canada FASD Research Network. She holds a Master of Public Health, Social Inequities and Health, from Simon Fraser University. Lindsay is responsible for research and collaboration on projects relating to the operationalization of … Read More

FASD is a leading cause of developmental disability in Canada, and while the conversation around alcohol and pregnancy is so important, prevention remains a significant challenge. Prevention goes beyond informing pregnant women of the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy, but also includes preventing adverse outcomes in individuals diagnosed with FASD, and informing the community how best to support women … Read More

This research was led by two CanFASD Researchers, Jocelynn Cook and Mansfield Mela, as well as CanFASD Managing Director Kathy Unsworth Background Along with experiencing mental health issues, regulating one’s emotions, known as affect regulation (AR), is a common challenge for individuals with FASD. The Canadian FASD diagnostic guidelines were updated in 2016 to include a domain for AR, which … Read More