Leveraging Community-University Partnerships to Develop a Strength-Based and Individualized Approach to Humanizing Housing Service Delivery for Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Abstract

This field report summarizes and advances key learnings for leveraging community–university partnerships addressing housing service gaps for high-risk, marginalized populations with complex needs. We describe our navigation of existing and forged intersections to develop a strength-based and individualized approach to humanizing housing service delivery for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Our account is framed by four questions: why community and university partners came together to develop a responsive approach through the CanFASD network; who became key stakeholders in the partnership; how our humanizing housing approach is guiding the navigation of complexities inherent in service delivery for individuals with FASD; and what insights about creating intersections are we applying to our community-university partnerships.

Current and ideal living arrangements and supports for Canadian adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Part II—Perspectives from caregivers

“…Caregivers shared grave concerns about the future of the adults they support when they are no longer able to provide care due to aging or death, as well as their hopes that the adults with FASD they support would find housing where they are safe, loved, and feel at home. This study's findings align with previous recommendations (e.g., Brownstone, 2005;Burns, 2009;Pei et al, 2018) and support the importance of developing FASD-informed housing supports (Rutman, 2016).…”

“…Understanding FASD and person-centered support Supports with an understanding of FASD demonstrate awareness of the varied ways in which FASD can impact someone's strengths and needs, and strive to adapt their environments to optimize strengths and better support challenges (Rutman, 2016). Canadian FASD housing reports by Brownstone (2005), Burns (2009), andPei et al (2018) each emphasize the importance of developing a spectrum of supports for adults with FASD in response to variability in strengths and challenges. In line with reports, the critical nature of understanding the diverse impacts of FASD was pervasive throughout this study.…”

“…Caregivers discussed the importance of adapting their perspectives to focus on the individual perspective of the adult with FASD, adapting their expectations to better fit the areas of personal strength and challenge of the adult they support, and adapting their environment to create situations optimized for supporting positive outcomes.Participant recommendations regarding the need to understand FASD and adapt approaches when supporting adults with FASD are aligned with recommended practices in FASD housing research both within Canada(Brownstone, 2005;Burns, 2009;Pei et al, 2018) and outside Canada(Becker, 2018), and support Rutman's (2016) conceptualization of the importance of understanding FASD and providing person-centered support when developing services for adults with FASD.Strength-based supportsThe need to recognize and encourage the strengths of people with FASD when providing support was expressed by caregivers in this study and has been consistently communicated in previous research (e.g., seeCurrie et al, 2016;Flannigan et al, 2018;Pei et al, 2015; and Rogers et al, 2013 as cited by McLachlan et al, 2020). The importance of identifying the diverse strengths of individuals with FASD was also highlighted in a recent review byFlannigan et al (2021), in which they put forward a call to action to shift the narrative surrounding FASD away from deficits and difficulties, toward strengths and successes(Flannigan et al, 2021) Flannigan et al (2021).…”

Current and ideal living arrangements and supports for Canadian adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)—Part I: Perspectives from adults with FASD

“…Participants in this study and previous research have repeatedly emphasized the need for supportive services developed with an understanding of the diverse strengths and challenges experienced by individuals with FASD (Cleversey et al., 2018; Malbin, 2011; Pei et al., 2018; Pruner et al., 2020). Adults with FASD interviewed in this study highlighted their appreciation of supportive people who demonstrated an understanding of the unique and varied ways FASD influences their strengths and needs for support.…”

“…Participants in this study and previous research have repeatedly emphasized the need for supportive services developed with an understanding of the diverse strengths and challenges experienced by individuals with FASD (Cleversey et al, 2018;Malbin, 2011;Pei et al, 2018;Pruner et al, 2020).…”