![Sample our Health and Social Care journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5938/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Health-Social-Care.jpg"})
Abstract
This article examines the processes through which health disorders become accepted as a public health concern, and the defining role played by social actors responsible for bringing such disorders to public attention. Such analysis provides us with a particular history of health disorders and the implications of this early history in the current conceptualization of such disorders within contemporary health programs and policies. This article traces the emergence and acceptance of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) as a public health concern in Alberta and the ongoing tensions resulting from this early history. Specifically, the author examines the integral role of social workers and various government officials in getting FASD recognized as a health concern. This Alberta case study demonstrates the importance of investigating the sociopolitical context in which health disorders emerge and become accepted.
Notes
1. The nine provincial government ministries are Aboriginal Relations, Advanced Education and Technology, Children and Youth Services (co-chair), Seniors and Community Supports, Education, Health and Wellness (cochair), Employment and Immigration, Justice and Attorney General, and Solicitor General and Public Security.
2. In the interviews conducted for this research, several respondents considered the province of Alberta to be spearheading FASD initiatives in Canada. In addition, a Government of Alberta document (Citation2008a) presents Alberta as a “world leader” in FASD initiatives. This sentiment is also adhered to in newspaper articles published by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) titled “Kids with FASD Need More Services” (CBC, Citation2009b) and “Alberta Experts Leading Research on FASD” (CBC, 2009a). The province of Alberta is seen as a leader in FASD initiatives because it provides substantial funding for FASD programming, services, and research and was one of the first provinces to recognize and address FASD. However, there is no substantive evidence that Alberta is indeed a “world leader” in FASD research, programming, and services.
3. For example, in 1996, Ms. G, a 22-year-old, pregnant, Aboriginal woman, was declared “mentally disordered” under Section 53 of the Manitoba Mental Health Act and ordered to enter treatment.
4. Caroline Tait (Citation2009) cited newspaper articles (from the Calgary Herald and the Globe and Mail), research (completed by David Square) and comments from medical professionals (such as Dr. Geoffrey C. Robinson) that clearly depict FASD as an Aboriginal people's issue and as a health disorder that is responsible for the current marginalization of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
5. Hansard is the edited verbatim reports of the debates that take place in a Legislature or a Parliament and in its committees. Alberta Hansard has a yearly index that lists the subject and a speaker list for each session of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. All legislative debates utilized in this research are available online at http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?section = doc&p = han.
6. Grant Mitchell was the leader of Alberta Liberal Party from 1994 to 1998 and represented the electoral district of Edmonton-McClung from 1993 to 1998.
7. These concerns were raised to support the Mr. Mitchell's motion to make the Child and Youth Advocate Office in Alberta completely independent from the Alberta government. The Child and Youth Advocate Office was established in September 1989. It provides individual and systematic support and advocates on behalf of children and youth in provincial care.
8. MLA Alice Hanson made this statement when she expressed her support for Bill 207. Ms. Hanson represented the constituency of Edmonton-Highlands-Beverly from 1993 to 1997. She was the Native Affairs critic and Social Services critic for the official opposition (i.e. the Alberta Liberal Party). MLA Elizabeth Jones Hewes (representative of electoral district of Edmonton-Gold Bar from 1986 to 1997) introduced Bill 207 for debate in the Alberta Legislature. The bill proposed the adoption of The Children's Rights Act, which was a carbon copy of the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the UN's General Assembly in 1989. This bill was defeated (16 to 44) in the second reading.
9. In the1980s and early the 1990s fetal alcohol spectrum disorder was referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol effect (FAE).
10. Colleen Klein is the wife of former Premier Ralph Klein. Ralph Klein was the premier of Alberta during this time period.
11. Dr. Albert Chudley is a prominent researcher in the area of development disabilities.
12. This name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.
13. In February 1998, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba formed a partnership titled The Prairie Province Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Partnership. This partnership was initiated in an effort to coordinate provincial approaches to FASD. In 1999, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut joined this partnership. At that time, the name was changed to Prairie Northwest FAS Partnership. In 2001, the name changed again to Prairie Northern Pacific FAS Partnership to reflect the joining of British Columbia. In 2003, this organization changed its name to Canadian Northwest FASD Partnership.
14. As explained earlier, this went on to become Canadian Northwest FASD Partnership (and now includes Manitoba, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, and Alberta).
15. Interestingly, all four programs focused on care-giving relationships and none of these programs were designed to address issues pertinent to adults suffering with FASD such as employment and sexuality.
16. It replicates the Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP), also referred to as Birth to Three, which was initially developed in Seattle, Washington, by Therese Grant. Therese Grant is a pioneer scholar on issues related to high-risk mothers in United States.
17. Joan McDaniel formed the McDaniel Foundation in 1997. The foundation provided assistance to the disadvantaged of Edmonton, Alberta. The foundation was also the primary funder of the FASD programs at this nonprofit agency (name withheld) for the first few years. The foundation continued to fund the First Steps and Coaching Families programs when the Alberta government began provide funding a few years later.