Vision

To reduce the number of alcohol exposed pregnancies and to facilitate the best possible outcomes for individuals living with FASD.

Purpose

To attract a network of individuals and organizations from across all sectors in Manitoba supporting prevention, education, research, and intervention activities in the area of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

Goals

The goals of CAP are to:

• Share information
• Provide education
• Create networking opportunities:
  • Encourage, support and facilitate partnerships within Manitoba
  • Create a venue to inform practice through research and experience
  • Provide a forum to connect with the research community to partner on projects, identify research needs, and share findings
• Reduce duplication of effort
• Identify gaps in services
• Create a forum for debate on controversial or emerging issues
• Create a forum for advocating for change
• Set priorities and specific goals each year for the membership to support and accomplish

Current Activities

CAP is administered by a volunteer executive committee consisting of two co-chairs, the subcommittee chairs and the Banker/Treasure.  An administrative Coordinator has been hired under contract who will work with CAP and all sub-committees to provide administrative duties.

Current CAP activities include providing free educational opportunities on FASD to Manitobans through:

• a monthly lunch hour information series held in Winnipeg and broadcast via the telehealth network to rural and northern Manitoba,
• bringing national and international expert speakers to Manitoba,
• distributing a regular newsletter with contributions from across the province
• maintaining this website.

CAP has several standing sub committees who assist in the planning of these activities:

• Information Series
• Special Events
• Newsletter
• Website

Volunteers are always welcome.

Membership

CAP membership is open to all Manitobans with an interest in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. CAP supports representation from across the province through the use of teleconferencing and videoconferencing technologies. There are no membership fees or dues.

Meetings

Meetings are held at 10:00 am on the 3rd Monday of each month.  The location of the meeting will be announced in the Agenda for the meeting that will be sent out one week prior to the meetings. Meetings  are open to all interested individuals. Those in rural and northern Manitoba are encouraged to participate using free teleconference calling: 1-877-727-8553 participant code: 348668244#.

Minutes

Minutes are recorded and automatically sent to those who attend meetings and are sent to anyone who requests in writing, by mail or e-mail, to receive them.

History and Evolution of CAP

• note that the terminology and organization names reflect those used at the time.

In June 1993 a community consultation on FAS/FAE was sponsored jointly by the Manitoba Medical Association and the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. Over 80 participants from around the province from health, social services, First Nations representatives, communities and parents met to discuss the issues of, and potential strategies to address FAS/FAE. Following this consultation, the Manitoba Medical Association established the Committee on Alcohol and Pregnancy as an ongoing committee to develop resources and coordinate efforts to deal with FAS/FAE. The committee determined to focus on five main areas of concern:

1. Prevention
2. Health and Treatment Services
3. Education
4. Judicial and Correction Services
5. Community Social Services and Parent Support

The Committee on Alcohol and Pregnancy secured funding through the sponsorship of the Association for Community Living Manitoba from the Brighter Futures program of Health & Welfare Canada. With this funding and in cooperation with Addictions Foundation of Manitoba the Committee on Alcohol and Pregnancy developed an FAS/FAE Resource Centre, conducted community consultation in the north and in remote areas of Manitoba, created a FAS/FAE Network, and provided training and support to local community initiatives and projects. Membership on the committee included a wide range of expertise including specialists in pediatrics, child development, genetics, and FAS/FAE, community health care professionals, community service agencies, the fields of social work, nursing, education, child welfare, and representatives of First Nations organizations, parents, foster and adoptive parents.

In 1997, the original funding came to an end. The Committee on Alcohol and Pregnancy changed its name to the Coalition on Alcohol and Pregnancy (CAP) and continued its work through new committees based on special interest areas which were responsible for their own financial and human resources. The family support committee became the Fetal Alcohol Family Association of Manitoba.

In 1998, CAP began receiving core funding from Healthy Child Manitoba. From 1998 until 2005 the main activities of CAP were Celebration of Accomplishment conferences, several guest speakers brought to Manitoba, a think tank on adult services, and a regular newsletter distributed across the province, the FASD News.