# Presentation: 201653

## The Saskatoon Supported Housing Project for 

- Sponsored by the FASD Support Network of Sask &
- Funded by The National Homelessness Initiative

- Persons with FASD

- Presented by Eunice Bergstrom
- Project Developer

## Where is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan?

- From http://www.hayriver.com/assets/map-canada.jpg

## Presentation:

- Cover 4 Areas:
- 1.  Organizations, Programs with a Specific FASD focus
- 2.  FASD Support Network of Saskatchewan & the FASD Inter-agency committees
- 3.  The Supported Housing Project
- 4.  Other Programs and Projects in the Province

## 1. Organizations/Programs Specifically Focused on FASD in Saskatchewan

- The FASD Support Network of Saskatchewan
- Regional FASD Inter-agency Groups throughout the province
- The Supported Housing Project for Persons with FASD

- The provincial Cognitive Disability Strategy (CDS)
- The Prevention Institute of Saskatchewan
- Other projects and Initiatives

## 2. FASD Support Network of Saskatchewan

- Provincial agency
- Led by a very active parent board
- Non-profit
- Funded primarily by the provincial government - Depts. Of Health, Learning, Community Resources, Corrections & Public Safety

- And Special project funding
- Staffed by
- Executive director
- Communications 		coordinator
- Project developer

## Vision & Activities of the FASD Support Network

- Vision: A climate in Saskatchewan where persons with FASD are productive & valued members of our community
- Activities:
- Support Parents & Families Through:
- Provide information & education
- Quarterly newsletter, Twice annual publication, Tip sheets
- Telephone support; parent support group
- Promote assessment & diagnosis
- Advocate for lifelong supports & services
- Foster increased awareness
- Establish partnerships throughout the province

## Saskatoon FASD Interagency Committee

- Composed mostly of staff from
- local community based organizations
- First Nations & Metis organizations,
- federal & provincial government organizations
- Meet regularly to exchange information and support FASD initiatives
- Role evolving in the province because fairly recently established
- May operate somewhat differently in each region

## 3. Background & Organization of Supported Housing Project

- Summer 2004: FASD Support Network & the Saskatoon FASD Interagency committee applied for Homelessness grant from the federal government
- Grant was approved by local advisory committee
- Project to include feasibility study & develop a plan to put supported housing in place for persons with FASD
- October 2004:  Steering Committee developed from Network & Inter-agency group; project developer hired

## Activities of the Project

- Literature review
- Establishing vision, guiding principles & objectives
- Raising awareness of project; networking with others in community & developing partnerships
- Providing information & training to others in the community

- Identifying range of needs of persons with FASD
- Inventory of community supports & existing resources
- Identifying gaps & proposing ways to fill them
- Strengthening the FASD Support Network

## Vision & Guiding Principlesbased on the values of Hope, Respect, Understanding, Sensitivity & Cooperation

**Vision***:  A community that enables individuals with FASD to be safe & valued members through individualized supports and supported housing*
**Guiding Principles:**
- Persons with FASD:
- are entitled to respect & dignity
- are entitled to a personally satisfying quality of life
- are recognized as valuable contributors & members of society
- are recognized as having a disability that is legitimate and life-long

## Guiding Principles continuedbased on the values of Hope, Respect, Understanding, Sensitivity & Cooperation

- And are supported in a way that:
- Is person-centered & looks at needs from a holistic perspective
- recognizes individual strengths & challenges
- recognizes the need for interdependence
- fosters inclusion in the community
- recognizes the need for individual consent
- recognizes the legitimate value of caregivers/support persons in the development & implementation of support plans
- Is culturally sensitive
- Recognizes the concerns of the community
- Programs for success

## Guiding Principles continuedbased on the values of Hope, Respect, Understanding, Sensitivity & Cooperation

- Caregivers and Staff:
- Are entitled to respect and dignity
- Their need for ongoing support is recognized
- Have access to appropriate training
- Staff is recognized as highly skilled & is entitled to working conditions and remuneration that reflect the value of their work & the skill & dedication required
- Caregivers/parents are recognized for their expertise & insight
- Are supported in their need for stress management & development of coping skills

## Goals:  

- To fulfill the vision statement by providing leadership to:
- Create partnerships to provide the supports required by individuals with FASD
- Assist in locating safe, stable & supportive living conditions
- Provide ongoing education to front-line workers regarding the ramifications of an FASD & strategies for appropriate support
- Identify gaps in services & then assist in closing these gaps
- Provide supports that recognize spiritual, emotional, social, physical & intellectual dimensions
- Develop a sustainable program for the community
- Educate & develop awareness among government departments & funders on the necessity for long-term support

## Providing Training & Community Forums a Highlight

- Providing training & getting community feedback
- In total, 13 training workshops were offered, providing training to over 400 people, throughout the province.
- 5 were half-day, more basic workshops, with local presenters
- 8 were 1-2 days in length, with presenters with high level of skill and knowledge
- Proceeding were developed from 5 of these workshops to be widely distributed.
- Excellent opportunity for people to get to know each other
- Could see the epiphanies—see people “get it” about FASD
- Anecdotally, know that it changed practice in the community

**Notes:**
13 training workshops offered--5 were short - half days, presented with local trainers.

Four of these workshops had a specialized focus, 
1.  Justice
2.  Mental health & addictions
3.  Education and supported employment
4.  Social services
These proceedings will be used by the provincial government as training manuals, or to develop training manuals.

Developed a booklet, lifeguard strategies for Supporting Adolescents & Adulst Affected by FASD, in one of the workshops, based on the analogy of providing supports to persons with FASD is like lifeguarding.  The the participants provided strategies they could think of, which were recorded and used to create the booklet. 

## Conclusions from Project activities

- The presence of ongoing support with some accessibility on a 24/7 basis will have the greatest effect on stability in the lives of individuals with FASD & their quality of life
- Concentrating on the support aspect rather than building residences, holds the best promise for meeting the needs of all older youth and adults with FASD
- Continuum of housing options exist in Saskatoon, so preference is to work with others who have expertise in housing, and put project energy into devising the ongoing support system that is not available
- Working with existing organizations & resources is efficient and adds strength, & allows for a more modest design of the project

## Four Models for Supported Housing

**Notes:**
Very recently, recognition of value of mentorships—and so that is starting to develop; now housing is looking more urgent

## Foundational Model

- Provide support/mentoring/advocacy that is accessible 24 hours/day, as needed, to persons with FASD
- Support people to live as independently as possible in various housing situations
- Develop receptive housing, from private landlords to intensively supportive housing
- When foundational model is in place, any of the three other models can also be pursued

## Essential Elements of Model

- For Persons with FASD:
- Emphasize building on strengths, through recreation, employment, social & family activities
- Stable relationships with support coordinators/mentors, other service providers
- Advocate for and link to services, income

- For Support coordinators/ mentors
- Ongoing training
- Adequate salary & benefits
- Supportive work environment to avoid burn-out
- Teamwork approach so that time away from work is stress-free—know that someone else is providing support

**Notes:**
There is beginning to be recognition of what persons with FASD need for support
Beginning to be recognition of support needs of persons with FASD;  Little recognition of needs of those providing support

## The Foundational Model of Support Coordinators/Mentors

- Partnership developed with Saskatoon Crisis Services, Inc. who provide emergency social services, as well as ongoing support for those who are repeat users of their emergency services
- But project would operate as distinct entity
- Begin with 3 support coordinators who each would provide 1 to 1 support to perhaps 5 persons with FASD
- As project expands, mentors would be hired and support coordinators would become team leaders
- Project Steering Committee would evolve into Advisory committee to ensure continued focus on FASD
- However, Saskatoon Crisis Services cannot commit to being the major partner & delivery structure in this project unless funding for 3 years is in place

## Current Status of Project

- Funding from the National Homelessness Initiative was depleted March 31, 2006
- Funding from provincial government will last until May, to complete proceedings from training workshops
- Funding to implement project has not been achieved
- Have attained a couple of grants, and have applied for others
- Continue to pursue full funding

## Grants Achieved

- Federal Crime Prevention Grant - $100,000 over 22 months for 1 mentor/advocate
- Provincial gov’t through Cognitive Disability Fund - $32,000 over 6 months for a Mentor coordinator

## Other Grants Applied for

- Supported by a Metis Organization & a First Nations organization, applied for grant through the Urban Aboriginal Strategy for Aboriginal mentor – not successful
- City of Saskatoon – application for $25,000 for part-time mentor: unknown
- Saskatoon Health District – application for ongoing training and support for addictions workers; $15,000.  Not successful in March applications, but has been resubmitted for May
- Evaluation grant through University of Saskatchewan - $6,000 for Masters student to assist with evaluation for Crime Prevention project

## Other Funding Possibilities

- National Research & Knowledge Development Fund/Crime Prevention-provides up to $500,000 annually for up to 3 years for demonstration projects
- National Homelessness Initiative has put out another call for proposals – 9-10 months of funding
- Saskatoon United Way
- Brewers’ Association
- Conexus Credit Union; Saskatoon Credit Union
- Etc.

## Other Outcomes:

**Together with similar project in Regina have:**
- Increased the profile and awareness of FASD
- Within communities
- Among service providers
- Among politicians
- Increased profile of the FASD Support Network and recognition of its expertise
- Increased contacts and networking within the province, communities, and governments
- Examples:  On program advisory committee of Provincial technical institute; Judge in youth court who requests staff from Network attend circles when FASD is an issue
- Training spin-offs

## 4.  Other Programs/ Initiatives

- Cognitive Disability Strategy
- Provincially run
- Collaboration of primarily 4 provincial Depts:
- Learning (Education)
- Community Resources (Social Services)
- Corrections & Public Safety
- Health
- For persons with any type of cognitive disability

**Notes:**
Has evolved during the period of this project 

## Cognitive Disability Strategy continued

- Formal Process
- Intake process
- Approval process
- Assessment (using DLSA Assessment tool) to establish level of funding
- Recruitment of a case coordinator and a team
- Development of a plan for individual
- Approval of plan
- Disbursement of funds
- Annual re-assessment
- Individualized funding

**Notes:**
Takes 3 – 6 months for money to begin to flow
Takes 3 – 6 months for money to begin to flow;  Low application rate of persons with FASD~20%; Few services available to purchase for persons with FASD; Mentors—must take it on as self-employed person; no accountability structure, training, etc.  Could fit very nicely with the Supported Housing Project.  With Support Coordinators in place, would provide structure under which additional mentors could be hired, trained & supervised.   So far rejecting funding of any structure, other than mentor coordinator; hopeful that may change in the future.

## Other Organizations & Initiatives in Saskatchewan

- The Prevention Institute
- Advocacy and information to prevent handicaps
- FASD is one of the preventable handicaps they focus on
- Most involved in prevention of FASD

- Other Organizations & Initiatives
- Saskatoon Tribal Council and John Howard Society: Extra-judicial measures project for youth
- Development of screening tool – validation process
- Restorative Circles project
- Seems to be political will to change IQ<70 as requirement for established services
- Etc.

## Thank you!

- Contact Information: Eunice Bergstrom
- Supported Housing Project for Older Youth and Adults with FASD
- FASD Network of Saskatchewan
- Website: _[http://www.skfasnetwork.ca](http://www.skfasnetwork.ca/)_
- Phone:  (306) 975-0896/975-0884
- 510 Cynthia Street, Saskatoon SK