Identifying the invisible:  Screening for Youth Offenders with FASD
Channel: Children's Healthcare Canada
Date: 08/03/2013

This webinar will present recent research studies that have evaluated screening tools to help identify youth involved in the justice system who are at risk for having FASD. A high number of youth offenders suffer from FASD but few are recognized or diagnosed.  This presentation will be of interest to individuals and professionals involved in youth justice issues, such as probation officers, youth justice workers and administrators, lawyers, frontline police officers, FASD diagnosticians and psychologists. We hope the webinar will be informative and generate a lively dialogue with participants.

Presenters

Dr. Albert Chudley

Dr. Albert Chudley is currently Medical Director of the Genetics and Metabolism Program with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health and the Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba. He has been a consultant on issues related to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) provincially, nationally and internationally. He is a former member of the Public Health Agency of Canada's National Advisory Committee on FASD. He is a co-author of the Canadian FASD Diagnostic Guidelines (CMAJ, 2005). He is a Steering Committee member of CAPHC's National FASD Screening Tool Development Initiative.
 

Deepa Singal, BHSc (Hons), MSc, PhD Student, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy

Deepa Singal is a PhD candidate in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. She is interested in population health and health services research with a specific interest in the prevalence and prevention of FASD. Her dissertation will investigate the characteristics and health care use of women who have given birth to children with FASD in Manitoba.  To date this is the first study that will investigate this cohort at a population level using longitudinal, administrative data.  This study will provide important information regarding the underlying causes and influencing social determinants of health on drinking during pregnancy which is important for the development of effective prevention strategies. She is the recipient of the Manitoba Health Research Council award.

Dr. Howard Bloom, Coordinator, Child and Youth Worker Program, Georgian College

Howard M. Bloom completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) with the Department of Adult Education and Counselling Psychology. Howard holds a Masters Degree in Education (MEd) with a specialization in Human Development and Applied Psychology (OISE). Since 1996 Dr. Bloom has worked as an educator, program director, administrator, workshop and conference presenter, advocate, counselor and consultant. Howard is a full-time professor and program coordinator at Georgian College with the School of Human Services - Child and Youth Worker Program -- Orillia Campus.

Sheila Burns, Community Leadership in Justice Fellow, Law Foundation of Ontario/Georgian College

Sheila Burns brings expertise from Ontario through an extensive training and consultation practice focusing on sustainable case management, diagnosis, and capacity building. She is the Lead of the FASD Ontario Network of Expertise Justice Working Group and past chair of the organization. 

Sheila was the Law Foundation of Ontario 2011-12 Community Leadership in Justice Fellow and developed course frameworks for college and post graduate studies, stakeholder engagement, and research. 

The research, done in collaboration with colleague Dr. Howard Bloom at Georgian College and community partners, identifies the opportunities and challenges of implementing the Asante Centre FASD Screening and Referral tool for Youth Probation Officers in one region in Ontario.