Preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) requires a range of efforts from general awareness to targeted prevention and treatment services. In the Canadian Four-Part FASD Prevention Model, Level 3 and 4 programs provide low barrier holistic services for pregnant or parenting women who face substance use and a range of other health and social burdens and challenges.
Over a four-year period, the Co-Creating Evidence (CCE) evaluation study has involved eight different community-based Level 3 & 4 programs that support women through the provision of holistic, wraparound services, and in doing so, see FASD prevention as part of their mandate. These programs are guided by theoretical approaches such as being trauma-informed, relationship-based, women-centred, culturally grounded and harm reducing. The evaluation team has been led by the Nota Bene Consulting Group and has involved researchers from the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health and representatives of the eight programs.
This CCE evaluative study (2017-2020) has had three main research questions:
- What are the common elements of the diverse Level 3 programs across Canada?
- What program components are helpful from women’s perspectives?
- What are best measures to evidence outcomes and what outcomes are being achieved?
The answers to these questions are now available via:
- A 96-page full report on the study findings
- An 8-page executive summary
- 12 2-page info sheets on key components found helpful:
- What is a Wraparound program for pregnant and parenting women?
- Creating wraparound programs: Partnerships are essential
- Wraparound programs through an Indigenous Cultural lens
- Wraparound programs and Trauma-informed practice
- Food security/nutrition and basic needs support through wrapround programs
- Outreach and wraparound programs
- Peer mentoring and wraparound programs
- Improving Housing through wraparound programs
- Reducing Substance use through wraparound programs
- Mother-child connections, child welfare and wraparound programs
- Improving Women’s and children’s wellness through wraparound programs
- Co-creating Evidence study – Frequently Asked Questions
- 3 published journal articles:
In all these documents, service providers, researchers, policy makers and women with lived/living experience will see promising approaches and outcomes that these programs provide and the women who access these programs are realizing, together with their community partners. This study makes a significant contribution to our understanding of this level of FASD prevention. It hopefully will be an inspiration to all those committed to this important work.
Funding for this project has been received from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) National Strategic Project Fund. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
