FASD Interventions
Research indicates that early intervention for a family and their child with a probable FASD will impact outcomes for that child.
Infant Mental Health
Infant Mental Health Services is a stand-alone evidence-based practice. While IMH is not under the purview of the Children’s FASD System of Care, referring a family/child for Infant Mental Health Services if eligible is a viable treatment option for families with a child aged birth to 3. Learn more about Infant Mental Health Home Visiting.
Strengths & Strategies
Goals of Strengths & Strategies The primary goals of Strengths & Strategies is to teach families and caregivers to:
1
View their child’s behavior from a neurodevelopmental perspective and understand that behavior originates from brain functioning.
2
Recognize and build on all strengths.
3
Use strengths in combination with strategies to improve the child’s outcomes.
Features of Strengths & Strategies
Highly Flexible
Strengths & Strategies is a highly flexible practice based on the scientific understanding of brain functioning caused by prenatal alcohol exposure and its impact on behavior. The treatment can be customized to match the needs of children with a diagnosed or suspected FASD and their families. Strengths & Strategies is designed for families raising children 3-21 years with prenatal exposure (PAE) or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), who have clinically concerning behavior.
Detailed Yet Individualized
Strength & Strategies offers an approach that is a well detailed yet individualized. This evidence-informed practice focuses on integrating the child/youth’s strengths with FASD strategies to alter the environment around the child/youth while considering the unique brain challenges.
Parent/Caregiver Intervention
The intervention is primarily with parents/caregivers of a child or youth with a diagnosed or suspected FASD to change their approaches with the child and the environment in which he/she lives based on an understanding of brain functioning in FASD. Clinically, Strength & Strategies focuses on FASD education for caregivers along with behavioral strategies that combine the child/youth and family’s strengths with techniques that alter the child/youth’s environment to ultimately change the child’s behavior.
Training for Staff
Staff within the FASD System of Care can receive in depth training on the Strengths and Strategies practice via a 4 day in person training offered once a year currently.
Families Moving Forward Program (FMF)
Goals of FMF Program The primary goals of FMF Program are:
1
The FMF Program aims to improve child and parent outcomes.
2
FMF treatment emphasizes better child function and decreased child disruptive behavior.
3
FMF also provides improved caregiving attitudes, knowledge, and use of targeted parenting practices.
4
FMF also aims to meet important unmet family needs.
Features of Families Moving Forward Program (FMF)
Ability to be customized
The Families Moving Forward (FMF) Program is a behavioral consultation intervention delivered by trained providers. The treatment can be customized to match the needs of many different families. FMF was tailored for families raising children 3-12 years with prenatal exposure (PAE) or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), who have clinically concerning behavior problems.
Specialized Intervention
The FMF Program offers a specialized intervention approach which providers can learn through in-person training. There is a carefully laid out program manual, accessible after training on a password-protected website. Clinically, the FMF Program combines positive behavior support techniques with motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT). The FMF Program is scientifically validated through research.
Offers support for families
FMF offers the following:
- caregiver support and coaching.
- psychoeducation on effects of PAE, treatment-relevant FASD information, and advocacy.
- skill-building in caregiver use of “proactive” parenting strategies (accommodations) and behavior planning.
- information on “looking forward” to the future. Targeted school/provider consultation and community resource linkages are also offered.
Training for Staff
Staff within the FASD System of Care can receive training in FMF per the specifications of the FMF Program office via a 5 day in-state training.
Interested in learning more about FMF?
More information about Families Moving Forward is available at the Families Moving Forward Program website.
Contact us for more information about The Children’s FASD System of Care.