What is the.... FASD Prevention Project?

The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention Project is an integral part of the Health Start Program which provides education, support and advocacy services to pregnant and postpartum women and their families in targeted communities across Arizona.  The Project provides alcohol screening to newly enrolled clients at their first prenatal visit in their home or at a community-based location.  Women who are found to be at–risk for prenatal alcohol exposure using a standardized screening tool, are eligible to be provided a Brief Intervention. Referrals are made to substance abuse treatment programs if necessary and monthly follow-up is conducted by the Program. Women who participated in the Brief Intervention are offered a second Brief Intervention at 36 weeks. The health status of the infants and children are followed until age two.  The funding for the project is provided through a 4.5 year $1.1 million subcontract with Northrop Grumman, a contractor under the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA).

Why is this program needed? 

It is estimated that half of all pregnancies are unplanned and 53.1% of women in the United States report current alcohol use.  According to a 15 year study by the Center’s for Disease Control, the number of women who drink alcohol while pregnant is not decreasing – with approximately 1- in 8 women drinking any amount of alcohol while pregnant.  Out of the 102,687 babies born in Arizona last year, it is estimated that 12.5% or 12,755 were born to mothers who engaged in binge drinking during pregnancy. The study also indicated that once mothers give birth, many resume the use of alcohol, cigarettes, illicit drugs or engage in binge drinking.  The result of prenatal exposure to alcohol ranges from fetal alcohol syndrome, the leading cause of mental retardation, to other fetal alcohol effects, which include lifelong disruptions in cognitive, linguistic, and social development. In 2007, there were 25 cases of fetal alcohol syndrome diagnosed among hospitalized infants less than 1 year of age in Arizona (ADHS, 2007).

What are the goals of the program?

• To reduce the prevalence of alcohol use, abuse and dependency among pregnant women
• To increase the number of positive birth outcomes for children and reduce the number of children diagnosed with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
• To develop an infrastructure to support the implementation of the Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention in all Health Start sites  

What has the program achieved? 

During 2008, the FASD Prevention Project completed the six-month planning phase (February – July 2008) and began the First Option Year Implementation Phase August 1, 2008.  Two Health Start sites have implemented the project during option year one and have screened over 200 women.  Additional Health Start sites will be implementing the program during the remaining option year through 2012

Need more information?

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention Project

• Sara Rumann, MA Program Manager
  150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 320
  Phoenix, Arizona  85007 
  Phone: (602) 364-1421 
  Fax:     (602) 364-1495
  Email:    rumanns@azdhs.gov
  
  

Projects: 

FASD Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Training

Publications:

View our publications.