Component: Coordinated Service Planning

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017

Service description

FASD family/caregiver supports will build, support, and mobilize communities by bringing together individuals, families and caregivers impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and FASD.

People served

Individuals, families, and caregivers impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and FASD .

Program/service features

Enable families and caregivers to access FASD informed support, to support each other and to share information about PAE /FASD both virtually and in person.

Specific service provided

The service provider will

  • allocate subsidies of up to $4,500 to a minimum of 40 FASD Family/Caregiver Support Groups/Networks to support the development and activities of Family/Caregiver Support Groups/Networks
  • special considerations may be made to ensure groups are able to collaborate by providing additional resources, up to $1,500, to overcome challenges specific to distance, remoteness and/or accessibility requirements

The service provider will support the Family/Caregiver Support Groups/Networks by

  • sharing FASD resources and best practices
  • facilitating community organization and mobilization by providing guidance and
  • linking support group leaders with topic experts and other local or regional FASD initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for individuals and family members
  • supporting parent/caregiver mentorship and partnership development by providing resources and templates for group activities, guidelines, as well as tips and strategies to engage community allies
  • engaging in ongoing program evaluation

Enhancing support group facilitator training through in-person and virtual platforms, by providing

  • emerging research and effective/evidence based best practices and treatment modalities, including support on how to access and share this information
  • training webinars addressing topics identified by group leaders, participants, and advisory committee members
  • expert-led training and education events

Program goals

  • expand support for children, youth and families affected by FASD , including increased awareness of the disorder and how it can be prevented
  • identify opportunities to leverage and align the FASD Family/Caregiver Support Groups with other initiatives that are being implemented in Ontario
  • opportunities for connection and alignment should be considered if they are determined to result in greater effectiveness and benefits across initiatives

Ministry expectations

Services are child and family-centred and support the diverse needs of families in a way that is culturally safe, and promotes equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression.

The Service Provider will conduct the following activities

  • Stakeholder engagement
  • conduct a minimum of 3 Virtual Advisory Committee Meetings per year and telephone/email consults when needed
  • Document Advisory Committee involvement through meeting minutes
  • connect with Community Coalitions and Community Health Centres for information sharing and partnership development

Funding to FASD support groups

  • based on evaluations and stakeholder input, revise guidelines, templates, and criteria for grants for FASD support groups
  • issue call(s) for proposals to enhance the work of existing support groups and support the development of new support groups through up to two cycles annually; and add new groups from waiting list from previous call for proposals as needed
  • guidance to existing and emerging FASD Support Groups as they consider and develop an application
  • review and approve applications, within available budget
  • develop contracts and flow funding to FASD Support Groups

Community mobilization supports to FASD support groups

  • facilitate community mobilization among FASD support group leaders, FASD workers/coordinators and stakeholders including individuals with FASD and caregivers both virtually and in-person
  • provide a minimum 4 webinars per year
  • facilitate community planning meetings to enhance support group services and to reduce barriers
  • coordinate and facilitate minimum 9 virtual training meetings per year provide ongoing email and telephone consultations as needed
  • support group facilitators to optimize FASD tools and techniques and to access promising treatment modalities
  • support partnership development and the sharing of resources

Enhance program delivery with a focus on best practices and user-friendly on-line platforms for

  • expert led events
  • parent/caregiver, individual mentoring virtual and in-person support group activities

Evaluation and performance measures

  • with stakeholder input and guidance, revise/augment performance measures, evaluation tools and plan
  • implement evaluation plan, including assessing impact of funding and other community mobilization supports to FASD family/caregiver support groups

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final period. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.

Service data name Definition

# of active support groups (total): FASD family/caregiver supports

The total number of FASD Support Groups with activities underway, during the reporting period. An approved FASD support group is one that has received a subsidy.

Ministry-funded agency expenditures: FASD family/caregiver supports.

Total ministry-funded expenses for the Transfer Payment Recipient to administer and/or deliver this service in the Funding Year (cumulative).

# of families served (total): FASD family/caregiver supports

The total number of families that received services from FASD Support Groups during the reporting period. A family is only counted once during the reporting period.