ADVOCACY ASSIGNMENT

Donna Thordarson

9 2060 Lake Trail Road

Courtenay, BC, V9N 9E8

20 August 2020

Upper Island Women of Native Ancestry

#105 1509 Cliffe Avenue

Courtenay, BC, V9N 5N5

Attn:  Executive Director

Dear Ms. Hawksby:

I am writing to your organization regarding a concern in the Indigenous community as well as providing a few approaches that could be explored.

Recently I was conversing with three mothers who fostered, and eventually adopted, Indigenous children.  Each has a daughter who has been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) although each of their daughters are at different chronological and developmental stages.  Through this conversation it became evident that even with the age differences, common factors came to light – factors that contribute to successful independent living.

Each mother expressed the fear that their child could possibly become homeless because of the impact of FASD on their daughter’s cognitive abilities.  Abstract thinking and long-term planning are challenges for people living with FASD and therefore budgeting and monthly living expenses can be neglected.  Rent, utilities and groceries are not always the priorities when the person is presented with several hundreds of dollars.  In certain situations, therapeutics may be used but their children need reminders to take their medications.  And because some persons living with FASD may present with oppositional defiant behaviours, living with others has its limitations.  A combination of these and/or other factors results in the person losing their residence and having to endure the struggles of becoming a street person.  A Vancouver women’s shelter (www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca) knows these scenarios all too well.  They cite that although Indigenous women comprise 4% of Canada’s population, 22% of female homicides are Indigenous women; Indigenous women are three times more likely to endure domestic violence; and that 42% of all women incarcerated are Indigenous women – and yet, I state once again, they compromise only 4% of the Canadian population (10 Jun3 2019).

When viewing the approach and success other organizations have had regarding semi-independent living programs for persons living with cognitive impairments, mental health issues, and brain injuries, it appears they may have some solutions for these mothers.  Unfortunately, this support is not available to them and their daughters in our community.  I thought that perhaps your agency may be interested in exploring this issue as you represent the Indigenous women in the Comox Valley.

An Ottawa organization called Options Bytown (www.optionsbytown.com) was established in 1987 to address the homelessness crisis.  At first, it was a general approach to a generalized problem – homelessness.  But through the years they have discovered that even though the end result may be the same for each person, the issues being dealt with differed greatly.  Today they have a multitude of solutions for people including adults living with FASD.  Is there room on the family property for a trailer?  Or a rental nearby the family home for continued parental involvement?  Can the person be paired with a more high-functioning adult in a two-bedroom residence?  Perhaps a group home for pregnant women who are living with FASD?  Through this form of supervision/mentoring/support, individualized planning is possible.  Assistance can be provided in paying monthly bills or setting up automatic payments if a simpler method is needed.  Necessary life skills such as shopping and meal preparation could be part of program structure.  Habitat For Humanity’s philosophy of having a resident invest “sweat equity” has been an effective one as it builds confidence – something adults living with FASD (and many adults in general) need for building upon life skills.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and I ask that you and your board of directors consider this issue.  Young, Indigenous women living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder are homeless, finding themselves somehow pregnant, and they do not know where to turn…and sadly their mothers do not have any answers for their daughters.  Perhaps this is the year that changes.

Yours truly,

Donna Thordarson