ACT for Caregivers: A Celebration of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
Presenters
Kenneth Fung (he/him), MD FRCPC MSc DFAPA DFCPA, Clinical Director, Asian Initiative in Mental Health, Toronto Western Hospital; Professor and Director of Global Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Tina Gandhi (she/her), M.S.W., R.S.W., Social Worker, Surrey Place
Ullanda Niel, MD, CCFP, Family Physician, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, Clinical Chief of Developmental Medicine, Surrey Place, Lecturer, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto.
Dorothee Chopamba, RSW, RP, Marriage and Family Therapist, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities
Soong Huh, Pastor, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Aurora, English tutor, Be The Light Company
Emma Lim, RP, Director, Toronto Mindfulness Psychotherapy Clinic
Abstract
Family caregivers of children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as autism, fetal alcohol syndrome disorder, and other intellectual disabilities, encounter tremendous stress. In addition to caring for the children with special needs, they are often the advocate for their children at schools and other settings. Many psychological interventions rest on their shoulders to carry out at home, compounding their responsibilities, expectations, and frustrations. To address this, our team has developed an Acceptance and Commitment to Training (ACT) program dedicated to improving the caregivers' well-being. One unique approach of ours is that our intervention is co-developed and co-delivered. Our mindfulness-based intervention is group-based and can be conducted in person or virtually online. Over the past two years, we have engaged with caregivers and clinicians across Canada to promote its access and study its implementation. Further, based on equity, diversity, and inclusion principles, we are working on increasing access and conducting relevant cultural adaptations for various diverse communities, including fathers, Black caregivers, and Asian populations. In this panel, we will feature voices of interdisciplinary clinicians (primary care physician, social worker, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, pastor) and caregivers from the Black and Korean communities. We will also have sharing from a social worker who has helped spread our intervention to India.
Learning objectives
At the end of the panel presentation and discussion, participants will be able to:
- Identify common stressors facing caregivers of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and consider implications of EDI factors.
- Describe the ACT core processes and how they may be helpful for caregivers and for addressing EDI-related challenges.
- Discuss the benefits, the challenges, and best practices for successful co-delivery of the intervention between clinicians and caregivers from an EDI lens.