Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

At 9:09 a.m. Sept. 9, 1999, the first international Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Awareness Day was observed. The date and time were chosen to mark the ninth minute of the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month, which serves as a reminder that FAS, like all Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), is completely preventable if a woman does not consume alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy. Yet, alcohol-exposed pregnancies continue to be a leading cause of birth defects and mental retardation in the United States, and children with an FASD often go unrecognized or are misdiagnosed, even as adults.

A federally-funded treatment and prevention program is being credited with a 32-percent decline in fetal alcohol syndrome cases among Alaska's Native population. The $29-million program, which included a state-produced multimedia education campaign featuring public service announcements, newspaper, radio and TV ads, changed the path of the trend, said L. Diane Casto, Manager of Prevention and Early Intervention Services, Division of Behavioral Health, for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services – a CADCA state member.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration´s (SAMHSA) FASD Center for Excellence is offering funding for programs designed to address fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).