Dear Sir or Madam,

As constituents in your riding, we are writing to inform you that there are currently no clinical services for people with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), in the region of Peel. 

This population living with FASD has been unrepresented by government, systems, institutions and society their entire lives. 

There was previously a diagnostic clinic in Peel but this clinic has since shut down due to lack of funding for a number of years now. Children are currently not being diagnosed unless they pay privately which is not an option for most families. 

ErinOak has started taking clients for FASD but was limited to two workers for the entire FASD population in Peel, while there were unlimited workers for Autism. Over the years these workers suffered "burn out" due to the lack of other  services and resources for FASD. This eventually came down to one worker who has now left ErinOak.  There are currently no workers at ErinOak dedicated to FASD.

We are appalled that this institution does not consider FASD as important as other disabilities. There is no diagnostic clinic for FASD at ErinOak, though there is for Autism. Children are not being diagnosed with FASD. 

According to CanFASD, "FASD impacts approximately 4% of Canadians. FASD impacts more people in Canada than Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, and Down Syndrome combined". With this statistic, why aren't the services and resources there for FASD?

The Peel District School Board has minimal supports for children and youth with FASD; what is offered is insufficient. Not only are the supports insufficient, because staff do not have adequate training in FASD needs, the supports can actually be detrimental. This is literally an issue of safety, for the kids and youth with FASD, for their classmates, and school staff. Most of these children have not had one good day. Children are not able to go to school because they don't have proper supports and resources. Parents get called from the school every day to pick up their children. Some of these parents have to resign from their jobs because of the phone calls and their children not being able to attend school. 

We are not doing the people in Peel or society a favor by ignoring this population. I urge you to make FASD a priority in Peel like it is for other regions such as Halton, Waterloo and Niagara. To begin with we need:
 • A publicly funded diagnostic clinic for FASD
 •  An equitable place at an agency with equitable FASD dedicated workers, services, resources and programs
 • An equitable place in the school system with resources 
Thank you for taking the time to read this very important email. Please respond at your earliest convenience.