The Lakeland Centre for FASD has received a huge boost to expand the programming they offer.

They were awarded a grant for $337,500 over the next five years from the Alberta Rural Development Network to tackle issues relating to rural and remote homelessness.

The Lakeland Centre runs an emergency shelter for those with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder to provide temporary housing.

Michelle Huszar, FASD program developer, said the money will be able to cover rent costs for the shelter while expanding the programming and also employing someone to manage the emergency housing.

“It is busy in the sense that our clients, due to their FASD diagnosis, struggle with staying housed, so you find that they go in and out of different places due to their diagnosis and trying to maintain and paying rent on time and that,” said Huszar.

“It also fills in the gap…to pay for them to stay, so we have a bit of a rent subsidy. That allows us to let them be in the facility because we can provide some food and we can provide some basic needs.”

FASD is a lifelong disability that affects four per cent of people.

Huszar said through their clinics, they can expect to diagnose 600 individuals in the area.

“Their mental health issues, their addictions, their comprehension will never change because that is a permanent disability. So I think people always feel that when you get a grant like this, and it’s great and it is wonderful, but these are people that we will be helping their whole life,” she said.

Those diagnosed with FASD are linked to an outreach coordinator who help connect them with the services they need, child or adult.

“If you’re a child and young and you need help with the school system, the teachers, with understanding what that diagnosis is, helping with speech pathology – the coordinator helps the family reach out to the supports within the community and be that person to coordinate that.

“And the same with an adult. If you’re diagnosed with FASD or been given a coordinator that helps them access supports in whichever way they need to do in the community.”

The Lakeland Centre also has the Mother to Be Mentorship program for women with children or expecting that helps access supports.

They can stay in the program for three years and are often connected with an employment coordinator as well.

Counselling is also an important facet of help that FASD can navigate people through.

“Our clients are always looking for places to stay and places to keep them, so this is that until you find them longer-term [housing]. This is always that place to fill the gap.”