Evaluation of the government of Saskatchewan's FASD-related services : Cognitive disabilities consultants and community-based support programs

The purpose of the evaluation was to describe each of these five programs and how they are perceived by clients and other service providers, the strengths of each program and the challenges staff face in delivering services, the program impact from the perspectives of program staff, clients, and other service providers, and suggestions for enhancing program effectiveness. [...] Between September and December 2013, we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a total of 82 individuals: the CDCs; program administrators and frontline staff from each of the support programs; clients of the CDCs and each of the programs; service providers associated with the CDS; and representatives of partner agencies for each of the programs. [...] The CDS itself, through the services of the CDCs and the funding it provides to individuals and families, was identified as having three key strengths: the knowledgeable, helpful consultants; the inter-ministerial foundation of the program that facilitates consultants working across sectors; and the fact that the funding, as intended, enables clients to address previously unmet needs, such as prov [...] The impact of these programs extends beyond improving the lives of the clients and their families, as they are also in many cases facilitating the work of other agencies and organizations (e.g., justice Evaluation of the Government of Saskatchewan’s FASD-Related Services iii system, health services). [...] The evaluation objectives were to describe each of these five programs and how their services are perceived by clients and other agencies, the strengths of each program and the challenges staff face in delivering services, the program impact from the perspectives of program staff, other agencies, and clients, and suggestions for enhancing program effectiveness.