Welcome to the . . .
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Interagency Workgroup
Resources
Mission
The mission of the FASD Interagency Workgroup is to increase
awareness and advance the effective prevention and treatment
of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in New York State
through interagency collaboration and coordination. In addition
to working through interagency committees, each participating
agency is empowered to examine its own policies, practices,
regulations and laws, to determine how it can positively
impact the goals of eliminating alcohol use during pregnancy
and improving the lives of New Yorkers affected by prenatal
alcohol exposure.
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Subcommittees
The Workgoup consists of four active subcommittees:
- Education and Awareness
- Prevention and Prenatal Screening
- Diagnosis and Screening of Children
- Interventions and Treatment Services
1. Education and Awareness
Mission: To increase public and professional awareness
of FASD and further its prevention.
Efforts may include, but
are not limited to, the following areas:
- assessing current professional education/training resources;
- identifying and coordinating training activities and
educational resources across agencies;
- developing educational/public awareness materials;
- examining K-12 curriculum and lesson plans;
- design & promote “no alcohol during pregnancy” messages
for all women of child-bearing age;
- design & promote “no alcohol during pregnancy” messages
for targeted audiences (such as women with disabilities,
college age women, incarcerated women, Native Americans);
- expanding media and web-based information; and
- determining strategies to partner with private sector/service
clubs, etc.
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2. Prevention and Prenatal Screening
Mission: To decrease the number of women who drink alcohol
during pregnancy.
Efforts may include, but are not limited to, the following
areas:
- developing universal screening for alcohol use for pregnant
women;
- enhancing collaboration/co-location between women’s
health care and substance abuse providers;
- outreach to HMOs and insurance providers;
- advocating for screening/brief intervention by reproductive
health care providers and WIC programs;
- working with ACOG and OB/GYN providers around screening;
- promoting “no alcohol during pregnancy” messages
with pregnancy tests/prenatal packages, etc.
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3. Diagnosis and Screening of Children
Mission: To improve the quality and accessibility of diagnostic,
screening and referral services for individuals with FASD.
Efforts may include, but are not limited to, the following
areas:
- identifying and assessing diagnostic/screening/referral
capacity;
- assessing training needs of diagnosticians;
- developing standards and protocols for diagnosis and
assessment;
- promoting state-of-the-science services;
- identifying opportunities to screen and assess;
- promoting expansion of the NYS Congenital Malformations
Registry to older age children; etc.
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4. Interventions and Treatment Services
Mission: To improve the quality, accessibility and continuity
of treatment services and supports for individuals with FASD.
Efforts may include, but are not limited to, the following
areas:
- identifying and assessing treatment capacity;
- addressing education & training needs of early intervention
staff, Head Start, early childhood, and special ed. educators;
- identifying and supporting best practices in treatment;
- inventorying family supports;
- breaking down interagency barriers to expand provision
of appropriate services;
- researching public/private financial supports for interventions & services,
etc
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