Tools & Resources

We’ve compiled a list of resources to help you learn more about FASD and how it may shape the lives of individuals.

Resources about FASD in General

Strategies for Individuals with FASD

If you have been diagnosed with FASD, you need to know that it is okay to talk about it.

This webpage, created by the Northeast Alberta FASD Network, dives into how FASD can affect the brain and shares strategies to deal with everyday challenges and live a healthy life.

KnowFASD.ca

KnowFASD.ca is an interactive website that provides information across the spectrum and lifespan of individuals who have FASD.

It summarizes some of the common neurobehavioral features from current research and explains some of the neurobehavioral difficulties.

Diagnosis

In February 2022, CanFASD hosted a webinar featuring leading experts in FASD research, including Dr. Cook, to help viewers understand FASD diagnostic guidelines.

CanFASD also has a webpage dedicated to evidence-based research on FASD, organized into five categories for easy navigation.

Foundations in FASD

Foundations in FASD is a basic training course created by CanFASD, featuring the perspectives of individuals with FASD. It takes, on average, two hours to complete and provides an overview of various topics such as signs and symptoms of FASD across the lifespan, an overview of FASD assessment and diagnosis in Canada, and strategies for prevention and support.

Resources on Stigma

  • Stigma,  Discrimination and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

    ISSUE PAPER

    Individuals with FASD, their families and caregivers often face significant barriers when trying to access resources, services and medical treatment due to stigma associated with problematic alcohol use. This paper by Green and colleagues provides an overview of the issue and the many people affected.

    Read Here

  • Mothers’ Experiences of Stigma: Multi-Level Ideas for Action

    ISSUE PAPER

    The paper explores the complex stigma experienced by many mothers who have used substances, such as alcohol, during pregnancy or are raising a child with FASD. These mothers often face social isolation and scrutiny from the media, public, and healthcare providers, which creates barriers to accessing appropriate support services.

    Read Here

Communication Resources

How we talk about disabilities matters because the language we use can reinforce stigma if we're not careful. CanFASD Media Resources webpage offers resources, such as the Stigma and Language webinar, to help guide communication about FASD using thoughtful, positive, and non-stigmatizing language.

Housing Resources

Advocating for Your Right to FASD Diagnosis and Housing: A Guide for Caregivers and Individuals with FASD

Individuals with FASD have a right to an accurate diagnosis and secure housing. Accessing these rights is a challenging process, and this blog post, by CanFASD, helps individuals with FASD and their caregivers better understand and advocate for their rights.

Housing Service Provider Toolkit

The Housing Service Provider Toolkit is a great resource that helps housing service providers engage with and better understand the needs, goals, and experiences of people who access their services.

CHOoSE Housing Toolkit

The housing toolkit, informed by the CHOoSE project and similar research findings, contains multiple resources that help build understanding and support for individuals with FASD throughout the housing process.

Research on Housing and FASD

  • A Place to Call Home: Addressing Housing Needs for Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

    ISSUE PAPER

    Written by researchers at CanFASD, the paper reviews existing literature on housing for individuals with FASD and provides recommendations for implementing evidence-based supports to address housing needs.

    Read Here

  • Feasibility Study in Housing for People with FASD

    REPORT

    Examines the housing challenges faced by individuals with FASD through interviews, focus groups, and consultations with individuals with FASD, their caregivers, government officials, and community-based agencies, and recognized the need for supportive housing options informed by community education and research.

    Read Here

  • Report on Supportive Housing Opportunities for Adults with FASD

    REPORT

    The report emphasizes building diverse, sustainable housing models—such as low-barrier, housing-first, and semi-independent options— to better meet the lifelong needs of individuals with FASD.

    Read Here

  • A Mosaic of Options: A Housing Continuum for People with FASD

    SYMPOSIUM REPORT

    The report highlights the importance of developing flexible, strength-based, culturally-, trauma‑ and FASD‑informed housing options across a lifespan continuum, emphasizing collaboration among individuals with lived experience, service providers, government, and community partners to address diverse needs.

    Read Bio

  • The Scope of Supportive Housing for Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: a Rapid Review

    LITERATURE REVIEW

    This peer-reviewed article compiles and examines evidence on housing models and supports for adults with FASD, highlighting gaps in current approaches and emphasizing the need for tailored, sustainable housing solutions.

    Read Here

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