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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

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

FASD Okanagan Valley Assessment and Support Society is focused on increasing resilience and reducing harm through knowledge, relational, and community support and carrying out FASD assessment.

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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.

Another accomplishment was building the assessment team: Dr. Kim McGuire PH.D. Neuro-psych and Anne Ross OT and Ashley Reina OT. They provided their expertise and were always available for patients. With their expertise, I am so very proud and thankful that our team facilitated changes in the life trajectory of all those diagnosed.

I am proud of the many ways we supported patients to resolve crises in their lives in 1:1 interactions or through groups. These groups empowered hundreds of participants, even through covid, from across the province to understand their FASD, learn life skills, self-advocacy, and experience a sense of belonging. Some participants have attended groups every week for the last 7 years. That gives me peace.

I am so proud of delivering our FASD workshops and FASD three-day conferences: e.g. “Blown in the Wind”. We had participants from Quebec attend with lead speakers such as Jennifer Charlesworth and Joe Roberts. Over the seven years, well over 3000 people participated in the community-based, national, and international workshops we inspired.

I am proud to be recognized as a professional, educational organization. We hosted over 20 practicum students from UBCO, and the Okanagan College. The students left their legacy by creating: resources now used in Primary Care offices, Dentist offices, and a curriculum for students in grades 8 -11 on Shame, Stigma, and FASD Prevention. This was posted on the POPFASD BC Website for international access. Presently, we host a student skilled to deliver art therapy for our population.
Earning the respect and support of the Canada FASD Research Council (CanFASD) was truly a highlight. Having our clinic being a part of the research, and a part of the solution is the ultimate in success.

I am so proud of the community support base we built across the province. Working alongside the Okanagan Indian Band and supporting the delivery of Welbriety by Mike Ochoa. The Splatsin Indigenous Community and elders provided me with fellowship and mutual regard as we honored those with FASD and their mothers.

The accomplishment that I hold closest to my heart is the education and hope I provided. Working with caring, genuine people who believed in me and trusted me. I am proud of the friendships made and my commitment to bringing change in social justice. I fought the good fight and am proud that I always was true to my purpose: focusing on increasing resilience and reducing harm through knowledge, relationships, and accessing community support.