Authors:
- Celisse Olivia BibrPhD Student, Rural and Northern Health, Laurentian University
- Jacqueline PeiProfessor, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta
- Kelly D. HardingAdjunct Professor, Psychology, Laurentian University
Canada is in the midst of a housing crisis. A systematic failure to provide decent and affordable housing means far too many people are ending up homeless. Rigid and unresponsive policies perpetuate adversity and fuel stigma that places blame on the individual. And for already vulnerable and marginalized people, finding a suitable place to live can be all the more challenging.
That includes people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD is used to describe impacts on the brain and body of individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol. In other words, when alcohol is consumed during pregnancy, it can cross the placenta and impact fetal development.
If you are unfamiliar with the term, you’re not alone: despite an estimated 1.5 million Canadians living with the disorder, awareness of FASD is limited and support remains insufficient.
However, the lack of consistent systematic support means that 90 per cent of individuals with FASD will experience mental health issues, and they are around 20 times more likely to struggle with substance use than the general population.
As a result of these challenges, many people with FASD also experience homelessness: whether it be hidden (couch surfing, or residence in shelters) or more visible (having no physical shelter available). However, with recognition and accommodation, success and stability are possible.
September marks Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month. Now is an apt time to learn more about the disorder and about those who you might know who have it.
Impacts of FASD
The way alcohol causes cognitive deficits is complex, and as the name of the disorder implies, the effects exist on a spectrum. FASD is a lifelong, whole-body disorder. People with this disorder may need support with motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, communication, emotional regulation and social skills to reach their full potential.
These impacts mean that people with FASD can struggle with everyday tasks. For example, memory challenges may make tasks like paying rent and taking medication on time difficult. The cognitive impacts of the disorder can also impact a person’s performance at work. That can make finding and keeping a place to stay all the more challenging.
In our recent study, Alice, an adoptive parent of two boys with FASD, described a time when she came to visit one of them, and that her son agreed to meet her at a time and place. When she arrived, her son was not there. He did not know what day of the week it was. Without an understanding of how FASD can change the brain, people can be perceived as unco-operative, defiant or unwilling to participate in supports. In reality, as Alice put it, “there’s just a complete lack of understanding that it’s not willful.”A webinar by the Canada FASD Research Network on the housing challenges people with the disorder face.
People with disabilities experience discrimination in their daily lives and in housing. Individuals with FASD are no different.
They can experience discrimination from landlords who do not understand the disorder, hold negative stereotypes, or do not want to rent to individuals receiving disability benefits as their primary source of income. Discrimination based on source of income is especially problematic for people who are in crisis: being penalized for using disability supports defeats the purpose of them.