Trillium grant supports Peel children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is giving $225,000 over three years to enhance the coordinated provision of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) services in Peel.

These services should increase the early identification, intervention and treatment of children six years of age and under affected by this disorder.

"I'm pleased that this grant will help parents and caregivers in Peel access and coordinate services for their children from several agencies in multiple locations," said Mississauga-Brampton South MPP Amrit Mangat. "By knocking down barriers to receiving service, this grant will help ensure that children with FASD can reach their full potential in life."

FASD describes the range of health, developmental, intellectual and social concerns that may result from prenatal exposure to alcohol.

There is no cure for FASD. However, with early diagnosis and effective intervention, parents and service providers are better equipped to manage the effects of FASD, leading to greater prospects for life success for children diagnosed with this disorder.

Children with FASD require support from multiple service providers to obtain an accurate diagnosis and appropriate intervention. In Peel, several health and social service agencies have come together to form a FASD collaboration: Associated Youth Services of Peel; Credit Valley Hospital; ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development; Peel Children's Aid Society; Peel Children's Centre; Peel Public Health; and Peel Infant Development (at Trillium Health Centre). Two pediatricians who serve different parts of Peel Region are also part of the Peel Region FASD Clinical Service.

"Our Peel FASD collaboration is thrilled to receive this generous support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which will enable us to coordinate the multiple services required to diagnose and support children with FASD and their families and service providers," said Humphrey Mitchell, executive director of Peel Children's Centre, the lead agency in the collaboration's application to OTF.

The OTF grant will enable the FASD collaboration to hire a coordinator to ensure that FASD services from multiple service providers are delivered in a timely, seamless manner. The grant will also support the coordination of training for service providers, the establishment of data collection systems to enable the evaluation of treatment outcomes, and the development of public awareness strategies around the prevention of FASD.

Anne Fenwick, director of family health with Peel Public Health, speaking on behalf of the FASD steering committee said, "This is really great news. The agencies in this collaboration have been serving children with FASD and their families for years. But now that we are using a multidisciplinary and multiagency team approach, the service is much more comprehensive. Collectively we've been making this happen through in-kind service donations, but we're stretched."

"The OTF grant will ensure that this process continues by providing stability and maturation of the service," Fenwick said. "Thank you, OTF, for becoming our newest partner. Families in Peel will be better served."