Brenda Bennett

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• Brenda Bennett
• Executive Director
• FASD Lifes Journey Inc.
• 17-794 Sargent Avenue
• Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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WHEN PIGS CAN FLY!!
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FASD is a Lifes Journey.

• its the journey, not the destination

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Where the Heck is Manitoba???
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(No Transcript)
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My Winnipeg
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My Manitoba

• Population 1.3 million
• Economic diversity
• Capital city is Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Low unemployment rates
• New Democratic Provincial government
• Car theft capital of the country
• No diagnostic services for adults affected by
  FASD, and adolescents who become involved with
  the criminal justice system have access to
  diagnostic services
• Legal age is 18 in Manitoba

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My Manitoba

• First Nations population impacted by
  trans-generational affects of colonization
• Significant Aboriginal population in Winnipeg,
  expected to continue to grow rapidly due to
  urbanization
• High rates of Aboriginal teen pregnancy
• Aboriginal people are overrepresented in our
  prisons Devolved child welfare to Aboriginal
  Child Family Services Authorities due to high
  number of Aboriginal children in Provincial care
• There are approximately 167 (17 ) youth of the
  979 (aged 16-18) kids in care (2005) who are
  affected by, or suspected of, living with FASD.

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My Winnipeg..

• Winnipeg has serious safety and security problems
• Until recently, identified as the crime capital
  of Canada
• The closer to the citys geographic centre, the
  higher the incidence of violence and property
  crime
• Such crimes are the product of poverty and social
  exclusion and are concentrated in the inner city
• Policing strategy for the inner city is incident
  driven policing 911
• 2005 introduced Operation Clean Sweep zero
  tolerance policing based on New York City model
  created great divide between police and community
• Prison population is ever increasing double
  time phenomena for remanded time

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• How the pig learned to fly

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Community Development

• Identified the issue/gap
• Identified the stakeholders
• Facilitated the Think Tank process collectively
  identified the activities of the initiative,
  identified advisory group and developed
  relationships to built connections to support
  advocacy/lobbying
• Demonstrated needs of consumers
• Evaluated our outcomes
• Regularly celebrated accomplishments with the
  community

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Think Tank on FASD

• 2002- Manitoba Coalition on Alcohol and Pregnancy
  sponsored Think Tank on FASD. To identify and
  respond to the service gaps for adults and late
  adolescents affected by FASD
• Broad range of stakeholders participated to
• Identify the needs
• Identify the service gaps, and
• develop an action plan to address the issues

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FASD Lifes Journey Inc.

• In response to the above noted gaps, Community
  Living Manitoba acquired funding to develop the
  Manitoba FAS Community Mobilization Project
  (FASCMP). This three year (from June 2002-Aug.
  31, 2005) community development initiative
  undertook 17 distinct activities and produced the
  following outcomes

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Outcomes of the FASCMP

• Developed a strength based mentorship program
  model for late adolescents and adults affected by
  a FASD demonstrated their needs through the
  provision of direct services
• In conjunction with Clinic for Alcohol and Drug
  Affected Children (CADAC), piloted a
  multidisciplinary diagnostic process for five
  adults
• Developed a reintegration pilot project for five
  individuals exiting adult correctional facilities
• Increased income of participants
• Reduced recidivism
• Improved health of participants and access to
  health services
• Decreased homelessness
• Advocated for the development of a Provincial
  FASD strategy and Interdepartmental FASD
  committee

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Outcomes of FASDCMP

• Provided clinical case management and supportive
  mentorship to the spectrum of FASD affected
  individuals regardless of IQ, mental health
  eligibility or criminal justice system
  involvement
• Developed a Manitoba non-profit agency, FASD
  Lifes Journey Inc. focusing solely on the needs
  of late adolescents and adults affected by FASD
• Provided FASD information, consultation and
  training throughout the Province of Manitoba
• Provided supported employment through the HRSDC
  Opportunities Fund
• Provided parenting and family planning supports
  for affected individuals
• Provided systems coordination and transitional
  planning for participants
• Secured funding for those eligible for existing
  government programs such as Supported Living
  Program, Mental Health and the Provincial Special
  Needs Program

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The Response.

• Development of the Manitoba FASD Community
  Mobilization Project a 3 year broad based
  community development initiative
• 17 initiatives including the development of a
  direct service model for late adolescents and
  adults affected by FASD an FASD focussed agency
  in Manitoba to serve adolescents and adults

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FASD Community Mobilization Case Management and
Mentorship Program

• Began providing intake and supportive services in
  the fall of 2002
• Direct service demonstrated the support needs of
  this population
• Provided quality services that government
  programs valued and relied on
• Evaluated the services and outcomes of the project

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FASD Lifes Journey Inc.

• April 29, 2005 registered as a Manitoba non share
  capital corporation
• By June 2005 secured funding for the continuance
  of the direct service program through the newly
  formed FASD Lifes Journey Inc.
• Secured board members with a passion for youth
  and adults impacted by FASD
• September 2005 FASD Lifes Journey Inc. initiated
  services for late adolescents and adult
  Manitobans affected by FASD

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The Journey

• Performed functions of community intake which
  identified those who fell through the cracks
• Illuminated the importance of appropriate
  transitional supports for those exiting
  Provincial care transitioning to adulthood.
  Advocate for extensions of care to age 21.
• Educate system about the support needs of all
  affected by FASD regardless of funding
  eligibility
• Identify the service gaps and focus
  advocacy/program development on these areas
• Advocated for the development of an
  interdepartmental Committee on FASD and a
  Provincial FASD strategy
• Addressed the deserving vs. the undeserving
  disabled stigma

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The Journey

• Initially served those who qualified for funding
  those with developmental disabilities and those
  who pose risk to self or community (high risk
  high needs)
• Demonstrated effectiveness of our specialized
  program model
• Government saw the results and continued to make
  referrals. Cost saving QOL.
• We responded to their needs for services
• Secondary focus was advocacy for funding for
  services for those identified as the un-served
• Two years later, government funded Spectrum
  Connections Program.

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In the beginning
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Show Me the Money

• Sept.1, 2005 200,000.00
• April 1, 2006 1.5 ml
• April 1, 2007 3 ml
• April 1,2008 8 million
• April 1, 2009 9.4 million

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Show Me The Money
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Determination and Resiliency
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The Model

• Respectful and non judgemental
• Consumer focussed
• Individualized and holistic
• Strengths based
• Gender specific
• Expectations are based on understanding unique
  needs strengths disabilities across the
  lifespan
• Focus on the primary disabilities
• Habilitative in nature
• Culturally responsive
• Change environments not people

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The model is not

• a discharge program
• abstinence based
• based on selecting consumers who are stable or
  amenable to support
• silo based
• offering or seeking a cure
• based on economy of scale
• cognitive behavioural
• punitive or parental
• mixed gender
• without clinical framework
• one size fits all
• about our agenda

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Services Available

• Outreach Mentorship Program (50 participants)
• Provides community based individualized supports
  to assist with interdependent living. CCM
  supportive mentorship
• Typically 11 ratio 21 for consumers who pose
  higher risk

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Residential Services

• 6 Foster/Proctor Placements (12 consumers)
• Per diems range from 100 140/day (tax free
  status in Canada)
• 17 Community Residences (28 consumers) 24/7/365
  staffing
• Per diem rates from 640/day single resident
• Range from one to 3 residents
• Within Winnipeg proper and within ½ hour of
  Winnipeg

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Residential Services..

• 3-Community reintegration homes - for high risk
  offenders
• Proctor placements - including mothering/parenting
  homes
• - These are dually licensed for both the
  children and the parent with a development
  disability

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Other Services

• Transition to Age of Majority can include
  residential and support mentorship for those
  youth in Provincial care who require specialized
  intensive supports
• Alternate to School Program Individualized for
  those who qualify for long term funding and
  require an alternate setting to school
• Day Options individualized day options based on
  individual preferences and focussing on their
  strengths, talents and interests

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Other Services..

• Fee for Service Tailored training/Workshops
• Fee for Service Consultation Individual,
  program, and community development
• Family Support
• Advocacy

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Funding

• Supported Living Program eligible individuals
  with an IQ of less than 70, adaptive functioning
  deficits, and disability acquired prior to age of
  majority (18 in Manitoba)
• Special Needs Supported Living Program eligible
  individuals who pose a risk to themselves and the
  community (arson, assaults, sexual related
  charges, etc.), have a disability, but not
  restricted by IQ

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Funding Sources

• Community Mental Health
• Those diagnosed with a significant mental health
  disorder e.g. Schizophrenia, bi-polar, etc.
• Core funding from the Province of Manitoba for
  the Spectrum Connections Program transitional
  program for those who do not qualify for the
  other three funding sources and can benefit from
  case management and up to 4 hours/wk mentorship
  (The Safety Net)

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Funding

• CFS Authorities transitional to age of majority
  for those who qualify for funding
• School Districts individualized alternate to
  school programs
• Families fee for service for those who require
  intensive supports but do not qualify for funding

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Lessons Learned

• Staffing is an ongoing significant challenge
• Staff need to be specialized generalists who
  thrive on quantum physics and the rule of chaos
• Success needs to be redefined through a
  neurobehavioural lens
• Expectations of the community are high and based
  on a cure it mentality
• People and systems need to live in grey but are
  challenged to leave black white behind
• Keep communicating that FASD is an explanation,
  not an excuse
• Individuals affected by FASD are incredibly
  resilient
• Consumers expectations of self that often exceed
  their actual ability
• Consumers struggle with the need for support

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Challenges

• Consumers want age appropriate responsibilities
  and independence
• Black and white thinking- e.g. Probation
  Services, Winnipeg Police Service, crown council
• Judges who get it assist the system to
  understand the disability when they make
  appropriate dispositions assist in breaking the
  revolving door of the criminal justice system
• Teach that the behaviour is disability based and
  therefore requires a different approach

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Pigs Can Fly!