FASD Interventions on CBC Radio

This summer, CBC North broadcasted 3 interviews on FASD intervention on their Trailbreaker program. The Trailbreaker is a morning radio program out of the Northwest Territories (NWT) with host Joslyn Oosenbrug.

In the first segment, “Dealing with FASD,” Oosenburg interviews Sharon Brintnell, professor in occupational therapy at the University of Alberta, about her 3C program. The program, now finished, supported male inmates with FASD in their reintegration into the community. Transitional support workers helped offenders with FASD navigate social systems by providing counseling and assistance with things like finding a job, accessing housing, and starting a bank account. Participants also spent time exploring and practicing healthy lifestyle activities.

You can read more about Sharon Brintnell’s 3C program on the University of Alberta website or in the Government of Alberta Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Cross-Ministry Committee’s Fall 2011 Newsletter: “Taking Action of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder” (Page 2).

The second segment, “Changing Our Approach to FASD,” features an interview with FASD Project Coordinator for the Northwest Territories Department of Justice, Doreen Reid. Reid speaks about FASD in the justice system in NWT and ways of working with individuals to prevent offence and re-offence.

In the third segment, “FASD Interventions,” Oosenburg speaks with Lori Twissell, FASD coordinator at Stanton Hospital in Yellowknife. Twissell speaks about her role as family liaison with the NWT Diagnostic team. She discusses the team’s experience with families from diagnosis to debriefing and the placement of intervention supports.