Long Term Effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Adults
FASD Okanagan Assessment & Support Society

Support Groups

Adult Support Group

We offer a weekly, non-traditional support group that focuses on developing the participant’s skills to advocate for themselves and their needs. Life Skills, relationship skills, addictions, employment, housing and navigating systems such as social systems, justice and health systems are taught through an FASD lens. We also discuss how FASD impacts each person’s life in similar and ways. Participants learn how to understand their FASD rather believing they are victims of FASD.

We meet weekly for 1.5 hours – there is no cost to attend. Many clients live far from the clinic – they are able to attend through video. We sponsor these support groups throughout the Okanagan including in Indigenous communities.

Other Support Groups

Support Groups for Moms, Dads, grandparents, and Caregivers are also available. These groups meet monthly for 2 hours. If participants are not available to attend in person due to remote living, there is an opportunity to attend the group through encrypted video streaming.

Caregiver Support Groups

This group is for anyone who is supporting someone with FASD in their lives. This group meets every second week at the Vernon Library.

Art Therapy

We host a student from Kutenai art therapy who provides group and individual art therapy. This is a culturally responsive, integrative mental health support. Participants engage in artmaking and the creative process.

Wellbriety Support

A journey of hope and healing for not just Native Americans but for anyone seeking recovery from addictions. This experience adds a different dimension for healing and hosts culturally specific thinking that adds a dimension of healing and recovery. This group is facilitated by Mike Ochoa from the Okanagan Indian Band.

Case Manager

1:1 Crisis intervention

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symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome
childbearing age alcohol

Other Support Groups

Support Groups for Moms, Dads, grandparents, and Caregivers are also available. These groups meet monthly for 2 hours. If participants are not available to attend in person due to remote living, there is an opportunity to attend the group through encrypted video streaming.

Caregiver Support Groups

This group is for anyone who is supporting someone with FASD in their lives. This group meets every second week at the Vernon Library.

Art Therapy

We host a student from Kutenai art therapy who provides group and individual art therapy. This is a culturally responsive, integrative mental health support. Participants engage in artmaking and the creative process.

Wellbriety Support

A journey of hope and healing for not just Native Americans but for anyone seeking recovery from addictions. This experience adds a different dimension for healing and hosts culturally specific thinking that adds a dimension of healing and recovery. This group is facilitated by Mike Ochoa from the Okanagan Indian Band.

Case Manager

1:1 Crisis intervention

READ MORE

symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome
childbearing age alcohol

Bernadette Letter

With the help and shared vision from Laura Hockman, ED of Independent Living Vernon, and her staff; the only adult assessment clinic in BC opened.

While being in the clinic, there are many accomplishments I am so very proud of. One that I cherish the most was having Dr. Densmore agree to be our lead assessment physician. He not only provided leadership and training for all of the staff, patients, and their families; his incredible regard was demonstrated in the relationship-building he approached each patient with. His tenacity and curiosity resulted in reports that were more than meaningful, they were life-saving, life-altering, and resulted in lives being changed for the long term. Dr. Densmore invested significant hours researching, writing, and driving to locations across the province to complete assessments often on his time. His infectious curiosity and passion to understand FASD changed the lives of all he worked with, including me.

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Important Notice!

FASD Okanagan Valley Assessment and Support Society wants to express heartfelt gratitude to Bernadette O’Donnell, our Executive Director, who has recently resigned as she moves into retirement. Bernadette championed our organization with unwavering dedication and commitment to individuals with FASD, parents or caregivers of individuals with FASD, and all our community organizations that we have collaborated with over the past six years. Your consistent hard work, passion, and advocacy for this community will never be forgotten. Thank you for all your hard years of work! We are forever grateful.Read More