Linkage as an organized part of the FASD intervention continuum is essential,
yet harder to discuss. When screening or diagnosis of FASD occurs, subsequent
linkage with appropriate community services often occurs rather informally and
unsystematically. Making the linkage process more systematic and effective is
clearly a part of the FASD continuum of care that needs careful and thoughtful
development.
Simply providing referrals and recommendations, and linking families with resources,
can be very useful (and effective) for some families. But there are families,
with greater or longer-lasting needs or who find themselves in a crisis situation,
who require ongoing parent support and education. Ongoing help can be obtained
through parent groups, perhaps offered by child guidance centers or mental health
facilities, or through more informal parent gatherings, perhaps offered through
parent support/advocacy organizations. Parent support and education, and specialized
case management and/ or behavioral consultation, can also be obtained through
individualized, tailored treatment to families. This article contains links
to these services.
After an FASD diagnosis occurs, some FASD diagnostic clinics offer specialized
case management or follow-up, such that provided by the Minnesota-based Fetal
Alcohol Diagnostic Program, or through clinics and other state
programs based in Alaska, and other states. Family advocates in diagnostic
clinics, or free-standing FASD parent support groups or advocacy organizations,
may also help families link with services in many states, such as in Michigan,
New Jersey, Ohio, Washington and others. In Canada, there are specialized follow-up
services offered for families with a child diagnosed with FASD, such as one
in the province of Ontario (Serrett, personal communication, June, 2006). Also
in Canada, “key worker” programs are being developed that may offer
just these kind of linkage services, in addition to offering more intensive,
ongoing case management services.
• Create Web-based resources so that families can search for linkages and resources that they need in an efficient manner.
• Pair FASD diagnostic clinics with parent support or advocacy organizations, such as affiliates of NOFAS or state-level resources, so that natural supports can assist families in linking with community services.
• Carefully train clinic-based family advocates or professionals designated to follow-up (such as social workers or “key workers”) to provide linkage services.
What is needed to advance consultation services for FASD intervention for disciplines other than mental health? A few ideas:
• Carry out well-planned FASD intervention research.
• Maintain regional training centers and centers of expertise on FASD, so that consultation can be organized and of high quality.
• Raise the question of how to respond to FASD with professional organizations for these disciplines.