Intervention

ED Family Outreach (EDFO) Program supports youth and families pre and post diagnosis. They work with the families and youth to develop a common case plan based on the team recommendations and also the family’s goals. Many of EDFO staff can communicate in Mi'kmaq and this helps provide a culturally safe space. The EDO workers also help parents and youth connect to the services that will support them. They assist the families in navigating the service systems and they advocate for them within those systems as they help the youth begin to advocate for themselves. The EDFO works with the family and youth in practical ways by helping mothers make arrangements in terms of transportation and baby-sitting or giving them information on how to parent youth with FASD. Diagnosing one child and connecting their families to services can serve to help the child assessed but also serve to prevent another FASD birth. Another key function of the EDFO staff is to assist with ED Intake by interviewing the birth mothers with the MWDH. They develop a trusting relationship and culturally safe environment that reduces stigma and supports disclosure of adversity such as PAE. The MWDH serves as stage two of the screening process for FASD and related disorders that might be interfering with their child’s well-being.

The ED School ISD team is made up of multi-disciplinary specialists who also serve on the diagnostic team. At the school they work individually or as a team to ensure that the diagnostic team recommendations are delivered. The specialists also help in the design of Individual Education Plans (IEP) for the youth in collaboration with parents or guardians. A para-professional model allows the hiring of community members who are trained and monitored by the team specialists. With limited funding this is cost effective and also works to build community capacity. The ED ISD team meets with ED staff regularly and youth dealing with multiple areas of adversity affecting their mental health and well-being may also be referred to the Nogemag Healing Lodge (NHL).

Nogemag Healing Lodge (NHL) for Youth is an on-the-land learning and healing program. It serves as an alternative site for youth often suspended or expelled from school, at-risk for getting in trouble with the law, and diagnosed or at-risk for FASD and other conditions related to adversity. Elders are closely involved with the programming and on the land approach. NHL also runs a summer on the land camping program for children. It provides leadership training for the older community youth in HS and college who are hired as counselors. The older youth counselors have sometimes gone through the ED assessment team or the NHL program themselves.