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nineteen years on the jobPart 2 of a 2-part article by Lindy Dunagan-Groger [Volume 12 Number 2 (June 2002) features part 1 of this article] n the year that Michael turned 18 I transitioned into a new set of I am an organized documentation-
issues — those of parenting and being person; I have kept all those papers and a young adult. This included officially obtaining disability status for Michael with is the name of the game. I can honestly the state of Washington. Lindy took on tell you I had to provide every piece of the challenge of finding financial support for Michael in this new phase with great vigor. She is pursuing vocational training, appropriate social experiences, and useful and enjoyable daily activities for Michael. Here are some of her specific suggestions. Parents might find these ideas helpful as they prepare to move into this phase of the journey with their older child with FAS. Prepare for your transition to the adult ficult for the caregiver. I want to warn all in a handy-dandy file, and every time everyone — the year your child turns 18 it in the file. During the transition year, I had to have the following — others may extremely stressful. I say this not to be negative, but to toughen others up. It was my first time through this process, and if I had not had a few people’s hands to hold along the way, I wouldn’t have made it. As I look back over these last 19 years, with all that is required of us feels over- don’t come after SSI has been awarded.
 Birth certificates. They must be certi-  Social Security cards. My child didn’t dual powers of attorney are available on have one, so I had to get one for him.
reliable person who will be there across ment, the SSI folks told me to get power of attorney (I did), and then later they stress that FAS is a lifelong, incurable ent people said different things. It was  Legal papers like adoption, divorce, SSI to be determined. This role does not but helps fill the bill until the SSI status is obtained. I thank the supervisor that  Open a representative payee checking school psychologist you worked with.
how to do this is at the Social Security  You will need a current psychological office. The number is 1- 800 -772 -1213. site at www.ssa.gov/ on the Internet.
 Apply to become your child’s legal needs to be done is an accomplishment.
 Continue to keep the records. Again, ing certified copies ready to go. It can be acknowledged as the source on al copies.
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support groups, your state offices of knew what fetal alcohol syndrome public instruction, the ombudsman was. Initially these professionals in the Governor’s office, and parent conducted a lot of research that 2 | iceberg | september 2002
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Developed by Robin LaDue, Heather Carmichael-Olson, Sharon Beck and Sandra Clarren, 1996. Problems and Concerns
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Interventions
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support to young adults with FASDby Kieran O’Mal ey, M.D. Canada, incorporate an assess-ment of functional ability, which atric or medical disorders that need Scotia) are the least sensitive to the disorder. The U.S. has the National Trusteeship linked to the original province that Association of Dually Diagnosed determined by IQ, so a young adult forms are still outdated, dealing 6 | iceberg | september 2002
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Substance Use During
Pregnancy: Effects on Infants,
Mothers & Children
This program is an essential part of long-term plan- ning and is normally obtained through the local developmental disability organization, church groups or by word-of-mouth. There is a general dearth of mental health housing in Canada. The mental health housing providers are really quite disconnected from the needs of this dual-diagnosis population where the psychiatric disorder is often the crux of the matter.
Understanding and Working
with FAS/FAE
A number of helpful adult programs throughout Canada have developed from the experience of working with young adults with autistic spectrum disorders. Unfortunately, the Adult Canadian Mental Health Services do not incorporate FASD as a chronic neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric population.
Practical Strategies for Perinatal
Substance Abuse Intervention
There is very little systematic support. Some voca- tional colleges have job coaches, but they appear to  Contact: Kathryn Shea, 941/371-8820; be too busy to deal with this population of impulsive, distractible and easily bored young adults. Recently a pilot project in Alberta has created FAS advocates or Reclaiming Our Voices 4
mentors, which may enter into this vital role.
A number of these programs are running in Manitoba and Alberta. They are modeled on Seattle’s Parent-Child Advocacy Program (PCAP). The Canadian programs vary in effectiveness. No organized parent Drinking & Pregnancy: Evidence
support after the child is three years old.
& Responses
November 8, 2002
The high number of adults with FASD in prison has been systematically quantified and published in a recent book, FAS and the Criminal Justice System 2000, by J. Conry and D. Fast. Native/First Nations communities are using “sentencing circles” in west-ern provinces. A recent peer-support program in the upcom FAS Summit 2002
Yukon funded by the Crime Prevention Investment Fund is dealing with First Nations teenagers and women 15 to 30 years of age with FAS/FAE.
Dr. O’Malley is a psychiatrist and Acting Assistant Profes- If you know upcoming events our readers sor at the University of Washington and is affiliated with may want to know about, e-mail us at iceberg_fas@yahoo.com.
the Fetal Alcohol & Drug Unit, Seattle, WA. He has a small community psychiatric practice in Calgary, AB, Canada, dealing with FASD and austistic spectrum disor-der patients. 6 | iceberg | september 2002
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to ICEBERG
of ICEBERG ar ticles
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Source: http://www.fasiceberg.org/newsletters/Vol12Num3_Sep2002.pdf