Training and education for FASD is very important to help with identifying people affected by FASD and providing them with appropriate supports throughout their life. There is no cure for FASD after the fact, which is why preventing FASD at pregnancy is an essential part of the overall Alberta FASD 10-Year Strategic Plan. By Year 10 of the Plan, over 14,000 participants had attended 755 Prevention Conversation training events, including members of the public, service providers, and postsecondary students across sectors. The Alberta government offers online FASD training through the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD).
Prevention Conversation:
- Equips FASD prevention facilitators to raise awareness of the importance of engaging women aged 18 to 45 years old in the Prevention Conversation
- Trains health care and social service providers to effectively educate and support women and their partners by engaging them in the Prevention Conversation
- Develops community partnerships to facilitate sharing information and resources
- Online training to support the Prevention Conversation Initiative
Prevention strategies also include supporting women of childbearing age who use substances and who are not pregnant. Activities include outreach, screening, referral, and brief intervention activities. Prevention support services are specialized, culturally safe, and accessible for women who use substances. Trauma-informed and harm-reduction oriented services support women to reduce or stop alcohol and/or drug use during pregnancy, and support healthy pregnancies.
The Prevention Conversation Target Population:
Primary:
Education, health and social service providers that work with youth, women of child-bearing age and their partners, and communities across Alberta.
Secondary:
Youth, women and their partners of child-bearing age, and communities in Alberta.