FASD-Informed Practice for the Australian Alcohol and Other Drug Workforce
This online training was developed by CanFASD alongside the guide “Moving Towards FASD-Informed Care In Substance Use Treatment”. Both serve to outline current practices that can support individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) who are in treatment for substance use.
Across Australia, substance use and addiction represent serious health concerns. High levels of alcohol and drug use are reported for individuals with FASD. The brain-based differences that people with FASD have contribute to challenges engaging or remaining in substance use treatment. These difficulties are above and beyond the other barriers that can exist for anyone seeking treatment.
In this training we provide consolidated and expanded knowledge regarding appropriate substance use treatment approaches for individuals with FASD. It is likely that most substance use treatment providers have worked and are working with individuals who have FASD. We adopt the perspective that individuals with FASD can benefit from treatment support that is well-suited to their unique neurodevelopmental needs.
The course includes four primary section that contain a total of 17 lessons of content:
- Understanding the Person
- Applying an FASD Lens to the Treatment Cycle
- Enhancing Program Practices to be FASD-Informed
- Enacting Person-First Program Philosophies
FREE
NOFASD Australia
Module 1: FASD-Informed Practice for the Australian Alcohol and Other Drug Workforce
MODULE 1
This online training was developed alongside the guide “Moving Towards FASD-Informed Care In Substance Use Treatment”. Both serve to outline current practices that can support individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) who are in treatment for substance use.
Module 2: Understanding the Person
MODULE 2
This module is foundational to understanding the individual with FASD and the ways FASD affects each person.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a diagnostic term used to describe impacts on the brain and body of individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol. FASD is a lifelong disability. Individuals with FASD will experience some degree of difficulty in their daily living, and may need support with motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, communication, emotional regulation, and social skills to reach their full potential. Each individual with FASD is unique and has areas of both strengths and challenges
Along with learning ways to support individuals with FASD, it is important to ensure that clients who may have FASD can be more readily identified in treatment programs. It is likely that within your program or practice, you may already be able to identify some clients with FASD – this is excellent! However, there is also a good chance that some people who may have FASD in treatment programs are missed.
Module 3: Applying a FASD Lens to the Treatment Cycle
MODULE 3
This module explores the cycle people often experience with substance use treatment. Different recommendations are made for each step along the way to support a FASD-informed process. Throughout this cycle, access to support services, community, and family and friends is important to foster healthy outcomes for the individual with FASD in your treatment service.
Adopting a FASD-informed approach to service delivery can begin with program structures that facilitate easier access to treatment. Individuals with FASD often have challenges with impulsivity, decision-making, memory, and planning, which may contribute to increased difficulties when entering substance use treatment. You can revisit the brain-based differences section for more detail and further review.
Individuals with FASD will benefit from substance use treatment programming that is tailored to their specific needs.
Transition plans are important for supporting and sustaining the gains made in treatment. The creation of a transition plan will support individuals with FASD to continue to work towards their goals. They may be transitioning back to their home community, or transitioning to a different form of substance use treatment support, or something else entirely. The important part is ensuring that there is a plan in place for after the individual is done their treatment with you.
Availability of resources and supports can result in transition plans that look very different across communities (e.g. urban, remote communities). Individuals sometimes also travel away from their home community to attend treatment. Treatment centers are encouraged, as best possible, to tailor transition plans to the resources that are available in an individual’s home community, as well as to the respective individual’s abilities and preferences.
Understanding the importance of support services. A combination of physical health, mental health, social, and financial services may be needed to address and support people with possible or confirmed FASD and the complexity they experience.
Module 4: Enhancing Program Practices to be FASD-Informed
MODULE 4
This module identifies key recommendations that your service can use to best support the needs of clients with FASD.
Specific training in FASD is important to understand the needs of individuals in treatment and appropriately tailor supports.
Understanding the philosophy of harm reduction and linking the benefits of harm reduction with the experience of FASD
Incorporating other practices, activities, or therapies into treatment that place less emphasis on verbal language may foster overall wellbeing and encourage greater treatment engagement for individuals with FASD
Engage in program evaluation to learn where treatment is successful and how it can be improved.
Module 5: Enacting Person-First Program Philosophies
MODULE 5
This module discusses person-first philosophies that have been identified as important to consider when working with individuals with FASD.
Understanding and responding to FASD within Alcohol and Other Drug services requires a culturally informed and person-centred approach. Individuals with FASD often present with complex needs, and these can be influenced by cultural identity, community experiences, and systemic disadvantage.
Trauma-informed practice is a recommended approach for supporting individuals with FASD in substance use treatment services.
Both biological factors (sex) and combination of social and cultural influences (gender) affect substance use, risk and protective factors, progression to substance use, consequences of use, treatment access, retention in treatment, and overall treatment paths.
Strengths-based perspective is essential to build upon the strengths clients possess and to leverage these strengths to support their treatment progress
For individuals with FASD, supportive relationships are essential to help navigate life challenges, provide advocacy support, and guide positive decision making.
Module 6: Course Evaluation and Certificate
MODULE 6