OASAS Launches Educational Initiatives For The Prevention Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

ALBANY, NY (09/09/2008)(readMedia)-- State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo announced today a series of initiatives for the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

As part of a national effort to promote September 9 as FASD International Awareness Day, OASAS observes this annual event by launching several educational efforts throughout the state which will be centered on early prevention. In order to raise awareness about the impact of FASD on individuals, families and their communities, OASAS has collaborated with other state agencies and community-based organizations to provide educational conferences, trainings, workshops and other special programs.

FASD is a disorder caused by the use of alcohol during pregnancy. It is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation and is characterized by growth retardation, facial abnormalities and cognitive defects.

"There is no cure for FASD. It lasts a lifetime. It is imperative that we educate women of child-bearing age and their families about the dangers of prenatal alcohol consumption," said Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo.

In New York state, more than 7,400 pregnant women received treatment for an alcohol problem over the last five years. Research indicates that one in 10 pregnant women drink in the United States.

"The evidence shows that drinking alcohol during pregnancy has life-long devastating effects on the developing fetus," continued Carpenter-Palumbo. "Although FASD is a birth defect that is 100 percent preventable, unfortunately, it still affects 40,000 babies born each year in this country."

Children born with FASD require a lifetime of services and can suffer from a variety of issues including learning problems, difficulties in school, chronic health problems, mental illness, and addiction. They are also at high risk of experiencing unemployment, homelessness and trouble with the law.

During pregnancy, consuming any type of alcohol including beer and wine can result in FASD. Drinking a lot of alcohol in a short period of time is particularly harmful to a fetus and must be avoided during pregnancy. When a woman drinks alcohol it passes directly from her bloodstream to the placenta of the developing fetus and can cause permanent damage.

To raise awareness about FASD, OASAS is currently involved in the following special programs and educational initiatives:

As a result of a $1.2 million grant provided from Northrup Grumman in February 2008,

Odyssey House and Palladia are now admitting women into the "Project Choices" program. There are also plans to expand these FASD prevention programs to additional women's residential treatment sites in 2009;

OASAS is also sending letters to five companies that manufacture and/or distribute early pregnancy test kits, requesting that they include labels on the package warning women not to consume alcohol during pregnancy;

Since its inception in November 2007, OASAS has been an active member of the New York state FASD Interagency Workgroup. This collaborative group is co-chaired by the New York State Council on Children and Families, New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) as well as several other state agencies. In the coming months, OASAS staff will participate on three of the workgroup's subcommittees and will lead the subcommittee on FASD prevention and education;

OASAS is co-sponsoring with the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Support Network (FASSN) of New York City and Long Island, the 2^nd Annual NYC FASD Conference on November 21 at York College in Queens. For more information http://www.fassn.org/savethedate.htm;

OASAS staff participated in satellite teleconference training on prenatal effects of alcohol on children, at 173 sites across the state, sponsored by NYS OCFS on August 22. The speakers were Dr. Ira Chasnoff, President of the Children's Research Triangle in Chicago and Margo Singer, the FASD State Coordinator. Based on participant evaluations, there will be a follow-up training scheduled for the OCFS workforce; and

According to the SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence, OASAS will receive technical assistance to conduct a series of regional trainings across the state in the spring of 2009. The purpose of these seminars will be to educate mental health professionals about FASD in conjunction with how these outcomes can be improved for those who are dually diagnosed with FASD and mental health disorders. Furthermore, OASAS will also present a workshop on FASD evidence-based prevention practices at the SAMHSA sponsored, Third National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery later this month.

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services programs, with 1,550 prevention and treatment providers which serve 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day.

For information or assistance with an alcohol or substance abuse problem, in New York state call the addictions helpline at 1-800-522-5353 or go to the OASAS Web Site at www.oasas.state.ny.us.

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