Report National Roundtable On The Development of a Canadian Model for Calculating the Economic Impact of FASD

March 21-22, 2007
Ottawa, Ontario

Roundtable Executive Summary

As part of the work supporting the development of Canadian data on FASD, the Public Health Agency of Canada hosted the first national Roundtable on the Economic Impact of FASD in Canada.  The Roundtable included a broad range of representatives in the FASD field: researchers, provincial and territorial representatives, national Aboriginal organizations, Government of Canada (GoC) partners as well as experts and economists.

The Roundtable took place on March 21-22, 2007 in Ottawa, Ontario.  Presentations were given by Jan Lutke (Inconvenient Economics: What's the real cost of FASD Systems interface?), Brenda Stade (Revised Estimate of the Cost Burden of Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol in Canada) and Brian Grant (Measuring the Economic Impact of FASD in Canada: Criminal Justice Issues). 

The goal was to come to an agreement on the common components which would be included in an economic impact calculation to support eventual cost/benefit analyses of interventions. The emphasis of this first meeting was to achieve an agreement on the elements of a model, rather than developing the model itself.  The cost of FASD to society is an important issue which consistently arises throughout discussions in Canada; however, there is limited Canadian and international research focussed on assessing the economic impact. Gaps relate to subjects' age, scope and methodology.  Hence, there is a need for Canadian data illustrating the costs of different life pathways taken by those affected by FASD (e.g. correctional institutions, homelessness, independent living etc.).  These data are important in identifying potential intervention points, and the cost-benefit of various interventions.

Table of Contents

• Roundtable Executive Summary
• Welcome
• Presentation 1: FASD - People and Systems
  Inconvenient Economics: What is the Real Cost of FASD Systems Interface?
• Presentation 2: What Has Been Done in Canada?
• Presentation 3: What Do We Know About the Link to the Criminal Justice System?
  Measuring the Economic Impact of FASD in Canada: Criminal Justice Issues
  Discussion
• Presentation 4: What Do We Know About Aboriginal Communities?
  Discussion
• Group Table Check-in: What Did You Hear?
• Breakout Group Set-up and Day 2 Start-up
  Breakout Group 1: Defining Model Components - Social Services Theme
  Breakout Group 1: Planning a Research Agenda - Social Services Theme
  Breakout Group 1: Revising the Research Agenda Based on Participant Input - Social Services Theme
  Breakout Group 2: Defining Model Components - Education and Employment Theme
  Breakout Group 2: Planning a Research Agenda - Education and Employment Theme
  Breakout Group 2: Revising the Research Agenda Based on Participant Input - Education and Employment Theme
  Breakout Group 3: Defining Model Components - Criminal Justice System Theme
  Breakout Group 3: Planning a Research Agenda - Criminal Justice System Theme
  Breakout Group 3: Revising the Research Agenda Based on Participant Input - Criminal Justice System Theme
  Breakout Group 4: Defining Model Components - Health, Mental Health, and Addiction Theme
  Breakout Group 4: Planning a Research Agenda - Health, Mental Health, and Addiction Theme
  Breakout Group 4: Revising the Research Agenda Based on Participant Input - Health, Mental Health, and Addiction Theme
• Feedback on Day 1 Small Group Work
• Report Back on Day 2 Breakout Groups
• Plenary: Strategy for Moving Forward
• Concluding Remarks
• Analysis