FEATURES

NOFAS Webinar

Free NOFAS Webinar: New Treatments for Children and Adolescents with Fasd March 19, 2014. 2:00 – 3:00 PM EST. This Webinar, presented by Dr. Mary O’Connor of the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California, will describe the results of three randomized controlled intervention trials designed to address secondary disabilities associated with FASD. Emphasis is on social skills development in elementary aged children and reduction/cessation of alcohol use and its negative consequences in teens with FASD.

Research News

Alcohol Near Start of Pregnancy Linked to Premature Babies “Women who drink before they conceive or during the first three months of pregnancy might be at increased risk of having a premature or small baby, new research finds. The study included more than 1,200 pregnant women in the United Kingdom who provided information about their drinking habits shortly before and during pregnancy.” – Philadelphia Inquirer

Study: Pregnant Women Drink Too Much “More than half of women drink more than the recommended limits during the first three months of pregnancy, a study suggests. Some 53% of women drank more than the upper limit of two units a week during the first trimester, figures show. Middle class women are more likely than women from other classes to drink more than the recommended limits during pregnancy, researchers said.” – Belfast Telegraph

Research to Look at FASD Rates Among Young Offenders “The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research was last month awarded more than $1.4 million in funding to screen young offenders for FASD, and provide training and FASD education for those working in the criminal justice system.” – ABC News, Australia

FASD Community News

Radio Program on FASD with Amy Hendricks & Sally Bennett. Amy Henricks is the Project Director for N.C. Fetal Alcohol Prevention Program. Sally Bennett is Mission Hospital’s FASD Diagnostic Clinic Coordinator. – Mission Health

Australian Woman with FASD Stuck in Jail Without Conviction “An Aboriginal woman born brain-damaged with fetal alcohol syndrome is stuck in limbo in a West Australian prison after the Northern Territory government reneged on a promised offer of a place in a special care home.” – SBS World News.

Middle-class Women are Ignoring the Rules About Drinking During Pregnancy “White, educated mothers are having premature and smaller babies because of risky drinking, concludes British researchers.” – Mother Nature Network

Policy Issues

Australia Considers Making FASD a Registered Disability “The Federal Government plans to make foetal alcohol spectrum disorder a registered disability, which will enable potentially thousands of WA children to get support and treatment they cannot get. Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said he wanted his alcohol inquiry announced this year to focus on FASD being recognised as a disability.” – The West Australian

People with FASD Stranded in Australian Prisons “Chief Justice Wayne Martin said the number of people before courts with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder was growing.” He “warned the State faces a “massive” problem dealing with mentally impaired offenders who cannot be cured and should not spend their lives in jail.” – The West Australian

Alcohol Research Groups Oppose Australian Proposal to Criminalize Drinking While Pregnant “A Northern Territory Government proposal to introduce legislation that could see pregnant women prosecuted for drinking is facing strong opposition from alcohol research groups and Aboriginal leaders.” – ABC News, Australia

Webinars

Free NOFAS Webinar: New treatments for Children and Adolescents with FASD March 19, 2014. 2:00 – 3:00 PM EST. This Webinar, presented by Dr. Mary O’Connor of the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California, will describe the results of three randomized controlled intervention trials designed to address secondary disabilities associated with FASD. Emphasis is on social skills development in elementary aged children and reduction/cessation of alcohol use and its negative consequences in teens with FASD.

FASD Basics (101) for Medical Professionals March 18, 2014. 1:00 – 2:30 PM EST. “This is an FASD basic (101) training for medical professionals. Parents, caregivers, family members and other professionals will also find this information helpful. Participants will define Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), gain an understanding of how prenatal alcohol consumption affects the developing baby, describe how prenatal exposure to alcohol may affect individuals and families at different developmental stages, and find resources in your area to help your patients. This presentation provides a solid foundation in understanding FASD.”

FASDs for BSW Students March 26, 2014. Also available March 27, 2014. Brought to you FREE by the Frontier Regional FASD Training Center, funded by a grant from the CDC. “This research-based FASD Curriculum Infusion Package (CIP) was developed to be integrated into existing upper-division social work courses.”

Events

FASD Day at the Minnesota State Capitol March 24, 2014. St. Paul, MN. Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda. “Speak up for people living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and share the importance of prevention. Use this great opportunity to ensure that your state legislators speak for you, your family and the FASD community.”

FASD Family Symposium March 29, 2014. Greensboro, NC. “This symposium has been developed to assist families in understanding the prenatal effects of alcohol, an array of behavioral interventions that have proven effective, and resources that families can tap into to help support their loved ones in all areas of development at home, at school, and in the community.”

Kids Adoption Network in Maryland. Express group for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. April 15, 16 and 17, 2014. 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Burtonsville, MD. For more information, please contact Lisa Dominguez at 301.476.8525, ext. 13 or [email protected]. Also contact for information on an 8-week teen group.

Kids Adoption Network in Virginia. Group in Virginia for Boys in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. March 15, 22, 29, and April 5, 2014. 9:00 a.m.- Noon. Annandale, VA. For more info, contact Mari Itzkowtiz, Program Director at 703-256-3820 or [email protected].

The 6th National Biennial Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD April 9-12, 2014. Vancouver, Canada. Early registration ends March 12. Among the workshops, NOFAS Vice President, Kathy Mitchell, will be joining an international panel of birth mothers to provide two workshops, designed to address the stigma experienced by families and individuals living with FASD. “The conference will bring together a diverse group of professionals, families and individuals with FASD to discuss research, evidence, model practice and ideas to expand how we sustain and enhance the lives of individuals with FASD. Participants will consider and debate how we continue to build on strengths and modify existing programs, services and systems to address barriers to ethical practice in healthcare, housing, social services, mental health, criminal and civil justice, employment and education.”