The OBD Triage Institute

Organic Brain Dysfunction

Diagnostic Interpretation of Abilities Clinics (DIAC) ©

Upon completion of the medical evaluation and verification of a diagnosis within Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, a Diagnostic Interpretation of Abilities Clinic© is then available.

The DIAC© clinics provide a detailed, clear explanation of the individual's respective medical diagnosis including various harmful prenatal exposures, genetic and hereditary factors and social history. Identifying the patient’s specific physical, sensory, cognitive, and executive functioning variables provides answers to how and why these issues might appear to be intentionally undesirable behaviours.  The ultimate goals are to enhance understanding of FASD as whole body disorders, and offer approaches based on patient-specific information.

Once these issues are acknowledged, prevention strategies and intervention techniques are suitably designed utilizing the OBD Triage 3 Steps Plan of Action by focusing on individual strengths, interests, and abilities in order to create successes in all areas of their life course. The aim is to assist individuals, families, Courts, Social Service, Treatment, and community agencies in developing appropriate planning within the home, residential, academic/vocational settings as well as recreational activities.

The clinic consists of a two-hour Power Point™ presentation designed exclusively regarding the child, youth or adult, with expressed consent of the legal guardian. Invitations are extended to all persons living and/or working with the individual including:

Caregivers,Respite providers, Teachers, Coaches, Principals, Classroom Aides, Probation Officers, Lawyers, Employment Preparation Staff or Employers, Foster Care Support Workers, Children’s Services Workers, Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) and Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) service providers, Youth Workers, Group Home and/or agency staff, Therapists, Addictions Treatment Counsellors, and Justice representatives.

The clinics are available online to present to the community where the patient resides.

The structure of these clinics is as follows:

1. To review the identification of the patient's physical findings (over two hundred physical possibilities are reviewed that pertain to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) that may translate to challenges for the individual, and present to others with the appearance of intentionally inappropriate behaviours.
   
   
2. Identify specific sensory integration issues that may cause frustration for the individual in the classroom, home, treatment, work or community environments.
   
   
3. To provide an accurate explanation of the overall cognitive and executive functioning abilities by connecting processing abilities with outcomes of challenging behavioural issues. Strategies are prepared based on strengths and interests, while supporting areas of need.
   
   
4. Explore social history and discuss the potential impact of any previous childhood maltreatment, and social history factors as they pertain to strategy development.
   
   
5. Utilizing the OBD 3 Steps Plan of Action tool, demonstrate which issues are likely responsible for the manifestation of the current behaviours of collective concern. Patient-specific prevention methods and intervention strategies are designed to reduce incidence of the inappropriate behaviour(s).
   
   
6. The group is encouraged to open discussion to develop suggestions and recommendations with the collective goal to modify (if required), the home, school, therapeutic, treatment, and/or recreational environments. Invitations are extended to all persons involved (as per the Legal Guardian’s request), with the objective to develop positive relationship, and provide consistency in all areas of service delivery.

Requirements for Diagnostic Interpretation of Abilities Clinics©

The clinic session is scheduled as agreed by the requestor of the clinic and representative of the OBD Triage Institute. It is the requestor’s responsibility to arrange for Skype™ transmission, and private room where the clinic would be held. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to invite any individual that they feel might benefit from the clinic information regarding their child, teenager or adult child.

Clinics include:

Review of medical/psychological documentation, execution of and review of checklists, and patient’s current functioning as indicated by family, caregivers, school and/or agency support staff. The sessions focus on patient-specific strategy development and intervention techniques.

Clinics are two-hours in duration and include a handout package. Provincial, State, or Federal authorities responsible for Children, Youth, or Adults with Disabilities Programs may provide funding for Diagnostic Interpretation of Abilities Clinic© sessions under the guidelines of Therapeutic Intervention/Counselling and/or Assessment.

Fee schedule:

$150.00 per hour. Average Clinic is between 5 – 10 hours pending documentation review. G.S.T. @ 5 % applies