Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) National Strategic Projects Fund - Guide For Applicants

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. FASD National Strategic Projects Fund Goal and Objectives
3. Guiding Principles
4. National Priorities for Funding
5. Eligible and non-eligible criteria
6. Proposal Development
7. Review and Approval Process
8. Appendix A - Determinants of Health
9. Appendix B - Guidelines for Letters From Partners
10. Appendix C - Evaluation Plan Guide
11. Appendix D - Application for Funding

The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliations or the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Mission:
To promote and protect the health of Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health.

Vision:
Healthy Canadians and communities in a healthier world. Public Health Agency of Canada This publication can also be made available in/on computer diskette /large print/audio-cassette/Braille upon request.

For further information or to obtain additional copies, please contact:

Publications
Health Canada
Ottawa,Ontario K1A 0K9
Tel.: (613) 954-5995
Fax: (613) 941-5366
E-mail: info@hc-sc.gc.ca

---

1. Introduction

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term describing a range of disabilities that may affect people whose mothers drank alcohol while they were pregnant. FASD cannot be cured. People live with FASD for their entire life.

FASD results from maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy.We know that not all pregnancies are planned and that some women:

• consume alcohol before they are aware of their pregnancy;
  
• knowingly drink alcohol during pregnancy because they are alcohol-dependent; and
  
• engage in binge drinking (4 or more drinks on one occasion), which increases the risk of having an unintended pregnancy.

It is often thought that lower socio-economic status is an established risk factor for having an alcohol-exposed pregnancy, but recent data suggest that educated women in high-income brackets are also at risk.

The root causes of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are very complex and can include poverty, unemployment, abuse and family violence.These factors are, at times, beyond an individual's control.Women may start to drink alcohol to try to cope, and then continue this behaviour during pregnancy.We do know that the developing brain is sensitive to the damaging effects of alcohol at all stages of pregnancy.

The Government of Canada, therefore, recommends that there is no safe time or amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy.

FASD is a complex public health and social issue, affecting many Canadian families, communities in all regions of the country, and society as a whole. Individuals with FASD may have physical health problems, learning disabilities at school,memory problems and a short attention span.They may have difficulty communicating their thoughts and feelings in an appropriate manner, and are sometimes unable to control their behaviour. Because of these primary disabilities, people with FASD may have difficulty holding a job, handling money and interacting with others.

Furthermore, these individuals often have difficulty understanding the links between good behaviour and rewards, poor behaviour and consequences.

We also know that people with FASD may be very good at things.They may be loving, affectionate, friendly, artistic, musical, work well with animals and plants, be very loyal and show a great determination to succeed in life.

Federal Initiative to address FASD

The FASD Initiative is a federal initiative being led by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).This Initiative is designed to support prevention, public and professional education, the coordination of FASD activities, and capacity building through the development of practical tools for communitybased programs and workers.The FASD Initiative has the long-term aim of reducing the number of alcohol-affected births and improving outcomes for those affected by FASD.

The PHAC works closely with First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, and Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch of Health Canada (now known as the Health Portfolio) and with several other federal departments.The PHAC places a strong emphasis on partnerships, community capacity building and other health promotion strategies influencing the broader determinants of health.

The work of the FASD Initiative is guided by the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): A Framework for Action, published in 2003. It was designed to be used by groups across all sectors, in all regions of the country. It provides the structure and basic building blocks for comprehensive and consistent action on FASD prevention and support.The Framework reflects the contributions of hundreds of organizations and individuals from across the country.
The document is available through PHAC's national office or online at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ fasd-fw-etcaf-ca/index-eng.php

The FASD National Strategic Projects Fund is an integral component of the FASD Initiative and was introduced in the 1999 Budget, as an expansion of the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP).

The FASD National Strategic Projects Fund operates under the auspices of the Population Health Fund Section and supports PHAC's population health approach, which recognizes that many factors influence people's health. This approach promotes prevention and positive action on determinants that affect the health of the population as a whole, or that of specific population groups.Appendix A contains a full description of the determinants of health.

In a population health approach, taking action on the complex interactions between factors that contribute to health requires:

• a focus on the root causes of a problem, with evidence to support the strategy to address the problem;
  
• efforts to prevent the problem;
  
• improving aggregate health status of the whole society, while considering the special needs and vulnerabilities of subpopulations;
  
• a focus on partnerships and intersectoral collaboration;
  
• finding flexible and multidimensional solutions for complex problems; and
  
• public involvement and community participation.

For more information on this approach, please go to: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ph-sp/index-eng.php

The FASD National Strategic Projects Fund embraces the principles of population health promotion and was established to support strategic action, particularly, though not exclusively, in the domain of Strengthening Community Actions.

The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion describes five key action strategies for population health promotion:

• build healthy public policy;
  
• create supportive environments;
  
• strengthen community actions;
  
• develop personal skills;
  
• reorient health services.

For more information on FASD and the Initiative, please go to PHAC's website at: http://www.publichealth.gc.ca/fasd

[Table of Contents] [Next]