FASD/MedicAlert program looking for ‘champions’

By Leslie Knibbs

SERPENT RIVER—Since taking over the position of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Coordinator for the Aboriginal Health Access Center on the North Shore nearly two years ago, Frances Pine said she finds her work “both rewarding and very busy.” Pine brings plenty of experience to the job with a background in education and finance, all in a hospital setting.  Pine took over the job from Priscilla Southwind, who along with MedicAlert initiated a pilot program to help identify FASD victims to First Responders and other stakeholders who engage with victims.

At a recent conference, Pine said, “It’s most rewarding working with a client and getting everything in place for them.” Her job involves educating others, setting up workshops on FASD, assisting affected individuals in receiving diagnosis, and registration in the FASD MedicAlert program. With Phase One of the pilot program successfully completed this past November, Pine is moving the program along into Phase Two.

Pine is now looking for ‘Champions’ throughout the province to recruit and provide FASD education to first responders including police, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), fire, remote first responders and hospital emergency staff.

Training takes place online. Although the FASD MedicAlert bracelet is available to those living in Canada; at this time ‘champions’ are being sought only in Ontario since it is the only province without an “FASD strategy to have mandated FASD education, advocacy and programming.” Pine encourages anyone or organization interested in becoming a ‘Champion,’ or anyone who would like to apply for a bracelet to contact MedicAlert at 1-844-633-7558.

Since the FASD/ Medic Alert Phase one pilot program began in November of 2014, positive steps have been taken in establishing an effective tool for police and other EMS services making for easy identification of an affected person. At its inception, the pilot’s geographical range was from Sault Ste Marie to Sudbury including Manitoulin Island. First responders in these locations signed on to it enabling them to “engage in a more proactive rather than reactive frame of mind” when dealing with an FASD victim. Anishinabek Police Services (APS) with headquarters in Garden River First Nation were the first on board and have encouraged others to become involved.

Background on the bracelet program indicates that in early 2014, then Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) coordinator Priscilla Southwind with the North Shore Tribal Council (NSTC), was approached by MedicAlert about starting up an identification program for those affected by FASD. After several meetings, a pilot program was approved and supported by APS and Algoma Emergency Response Services. With the establishment of this program, both police and EMS were fast becoming more aware of how to deal with and interact with those afflicted by FASD resulting in improved relations for all involved.

At a recent NSTC FASD conference, Marc LeSage, Inspector in the Central Region for APS calls the bracelet, “another tool in our tool box.” According to LeSage, all members of his service are kept up to speed on how to deal with an FASD affected person with training and education in an ongoing basis. A training video from the Aboriginal Health Access Centre viewed by all APS personnel has been used by OPP in their training programs according to LeSage. LeSage would like to see more people signing up for the bracelet program. As early as 2013 the problems FASD victims confront when caught up in the criminal justice system were made clear by lawyer Jonathan Rudin at the G7 Conference in Sudbury.

At the Anishinabek G7 Conference in Sudbury on FASD, delegates heard Rudin describe an affected individual’s feelings before the courts or during an interrogation by police; “They want to get the hell out of where they are.”

Rudin, a lawyer and Program Director with Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto (ALST), told those attending his workshop on FASD and the Justice System, “court is the worst place for an FASD affected individual.” According to Rudin, an FASD individual facing interrogation or court will do anything to get out of the situation they find themselves in, whether it be making a false confession during interrogation or pleading guilty in court to something they did not do.

Rudin praised Indigenous communities for spearheading the lead in addressing FASD in communities everywhere. Rudin told conference delegates, when an Indigenous woman who is pregnant and goes to her doctor, the first question asked is “have you been drinking since you became pregnant?” He stressed this is never asked of a non-Indigenous woman. According to Rudin, a high percentage of those with FASD or a probable diagnosis of FASD, end up in courts, jail, or prison, oftentimes admitting to being responsible for a crime they had not committed.

A survey completed in 2008 of Judges and Prosecutors learned that most information they had on FASD was from major media like television and news reports. At that time, there was no education program in place. Survey findings pointed to a need for specific action to improve the ability of Judges and Prosecutors to recognize FASD and to work with people affected. Improvements are being made by court officials in Sault Ste Marie and Sudbury who are proactively seeking out education on FASD in an effort to better engage with clients affected with FASD who end up in the court system.

With the bracelet program in place, expected outcomes include: a decrease in undue arrests/incarcerations, a decrease in adverse effect to the individual’s physical/mental well being, and a decrease in the number of incidents involving repeat offenders, which in turn could eliminate the ‘turnstile effect’ of how the justice system has dealt with affected individuals in the past.

According to research during the pilot program, there are two pathways which will lead an FASD victim to join the bracelet program. Firstly, and perhaps the hardest way occurs when an incident occurs where police are dispatched. APS will check for an FASD bracelet. If no bracelet is present, the individual is arrested and incarcerated. In most cases following a meeting with the individual and a Legal Aid lawyer, if the lawyer notices something “a bit off” or detects diminished capacity, an FASD coordinator is consulted leading to a point of entry for the accused to receive a referral to the FASD bracelet program. Having reported on many court cases over the years, regrettably, experience tells me referrals and consultations with an FASD coordinator does not always happen.

The second pathway is open when an individual is diagnosed or self identifies as having FASD, and is “in contact with the FASD coordinator” at which time the person is referred to registration with the FASD pilot program for MedicAlert. Upon arrival at an incident, police will check the wrist for an FASD bracelet. Seeing a bracelet, the police are able to diffuse and approach the circumstances uniquely and call MedicAlert to record the incident and gather information on the individual. Anishinabek Police Service (APS) Chief Chief John Syrette, advocates and champions the bracelet program.

“Officers have increased awareness,” stated Syrette at a recent conference. Chief Syrette said at this point, officers must “go through the process”. Following conversations with an accused and others, charges may be withdrawn in court, he said.  “Ideally, [we would] not charge, but [we] must go through the process.”

“Sometimes we get referrals [to the program] from court workers and defense attorneys in Algoma and Sudbury,” stated Pine. “We are getting positive feedback.”

At the most recent NSTC annual FASD Conference, APS were in attendance throughout the day.  Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) attended workshops put on by Pine in the two sessions prior to the day of the conference.

With a shared vision to increase awareness to police and other EMS workers on how to better engage with FASD victims, positive dealings will be had by all. Goals include: establishing more equitable treatment by the justice system, and “the preservation of the individual’s mental/physical well being” for anyone dealing with FASD.

With success on the North Shore, Pine is confident the FASD/MedicAlert program will go nationwide.

“Once Phase two has been completed, then the driving team will look to expanding the program into Phase Three which we hope will be on an international level, which is the overall goal of this program,” noted Pine.

Any questions regarding the program may be directed to Frances Pine at 705-844-2021 ext. 301 or at frances.pine@nmninoeyaa.ca .