FASD Collaborative
Special Interest Groups
The FASD Collaborative Special Interest Groups (SIGs) were designed to offer discipline- or topic-specific discussion group and related content for its members. Across SIGs, the primary focus is to provide a space for collaboration and knowledge sharing about best practices in the field of FASD. Each SIG will focus on providing interested stakeholders with effective, evidence-based practices that will enhance community capacity to support individuals with an FASD and their families.
The format of each group, focus of topics, and group outcomes will vary based on the needs and interests of those participating in that SIG. For more information, please contact the SIG hosts below to be added to the SIG mailing list/listserv and their meeting schedule.
Don't See Your Professional Field or an Important Topic Represented Below?
If you would like to help support the creation of a SIG for your professional area or a topic of interest for the field, please contact Emily Rusnak, FASD Collaborative Project Executive Director at emily@mcfares.org.
FASD Diagnostic SIG
This special interest group (SIG) is designed for professionals involved in the FASD diagnostic process with the goal of promoting evidence-based practices in this integral area.
Members internationally and from multiple professions (e.g., psychology, medicine, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, social work, etc.) are all welcome. Topics will cover a wide range including screening, testing, and diagnosing. Broader conversations, such as methods, coding, and case conceptualization will also take place.
For more information, contact Laura Gumbiner, gumbinerl@kreiderservices.org to join. Please include FASD Diagnostic SIG in the subject line.
FASD and Child Welfare SIG
This work group is hosted by Families Rising (formerly the North American Council on Adoptable Children/NACAC) and will focus on how we can elevate FASD knowledge within the child welfare arena. We will discuss how to share FASD information with child welfare professionals including screening, best practices, and training around FASD as well as how to support families who are caring for a child with an FASD.
Adoption, foster care, and child protection professionals are welcome to join this group and bring your ideas on how we can spread more awareness of FASD in our systems. Our group will meet quarterly. For more information, contact Barb Clark, barbclark@nacac.org to join or ask questions. Please include FASD Child Welfare Group in the subject line.
FASD and Schools SIG
This Special Interest Group (SIG) hosted by Formed Families Forward (FFF) in Virginia is dedicated to bringing parents, caregivers, and professional educators together to discuss ways to best support students with FASDs in the classroom.
The intention of this SIG is to focus on ways to build reciprocal relationships between school and home. We seek to identify and promote approaches that result in better outcomes for students with an eye toward systemic school changes that honor the social/emotional and academic needs of students with FASDs.
Contact Stacia Stribling at stacia.stribling@formedfamiliesforward.org to join this SIG.
FASD and Allied Health SIG
If you are someone who works in allied health internationally, please join us for regular discussions on how our fields can effectively support individuals with an FASD and their families.
This professional forum is hosted by the Specialty Diagnostic Resource Center, Arkansas's FASD diagnostic center. Allied health professions include, but are not limited to, audiology (AudD), occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), physician assistant (PA), rehabilitation counseling, and speech-language pathology (SLP).
Contact Elizabeth Cleveland, Ph.D. at Ec056@uark.edu to join this SIG.
Mental Health Professionals SIG
A professional forum hosted by The Center for Neurobehavioral Guidance (Illinois FASD United Affiliate). This SIG supports mental health professionals internationally who are individually supporting individuals with FASDs and their families.
Suitable for the following professions: Mental Health Therapists, Counselors, Psychotherapists, Marriage & Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, Developmental Therapists, Occupational Therapists (supporting areas such as emotional regulation).
Contact Janessa Nikols, NCC, LCPC at jnikols@centerforneurobehavioralguidance.org to join this SIG.
Housing and Supports for Adults with FASD SIG
This is a workgroup co-hosted by Orchids FASD Services of WI and the Statewide Independent Living Council of Alaska for the purposes of finding, supporting, and sharing information about accessible housing options and related supports for adults with FASD. We will identify and discuss the issues and barriers people with FASD face as well as the supports needed for obtaining and maintaining suitable, stable, and affordable housing. We will focus on developing concrete solutions to these problems.
Individuals who have experience searching for, finding, or creating housing opportunities for special needs adults are welcome to join the group and should consider themselves professionals on this subject. FASD caregivers, self-advocates, residential staff, housing specialists, and housing rights advocates may be particularly interested in joining.
Our group meets twice per month and welcome new members. Please contact Jackie Wille at jwille@orchidsfasdservices.org to join or to ask questions about this SIG. Please write FASD Housing Group in the subject line.
FASD Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Education SIG
This is a special interest group (SIG) hosted by NOFAS Missouri (current name change in process) is designed to discuss the development and promotion of undergraduate, graduate, and professional education resources specific to FASD. This SIG is suitable for professors and instructors in higher education, as well as programmatic leaders for organizations (such as LEND programs), with a vested interest in sharing resources to help build intra- and interdisciplinary training/coursework to advance FASD pre-professional and continuing education.
Contact Leigh Tenkku Lepper at tenkku@gmail.com to join or to ask questions about this SIG.
