NOFAS Today

Keep up with the latest NOFAS activities and breaking news.

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• NOFAS and many of its affiliates particpated in events in recognition of FASD Awareness Day, September 9, 2011.

NOFAS

Ohio First Lady Karen Kasich headlined an FASD Awareness Day event in Columbus, Ohio. She presented a proclamation naming September as FASD Awareness month in the state and spoke about the importance of FASD prevention on behalf of Governor John Kasich a longtime supporter of NOFAS. State FASD coordinator Melinda Norman, Tom Donaldson from NOFAS, and the directors of the Ohio Departments of Health, Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, Developmental Disabilities, and Education, participated.

On September 9, over 500 people attended the 8th Annual FASD Mississippi Symposium at the Jackson Convention Center. The gathering was sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and the Mississippi FASD Advisory Board. The presenters included Diane Casto, Alaska FASD State Coordinator, Kathy Mitchell, NOFAS Spokesperson, and 2011 NOFAS Excellence Award winner, Morgan Fawcett, founder of One Heart Creations. A special thanks and recognition to the dynamic Trisha Hinson, Mississippi FASD State Coordinator for all of her hard work and passion in preventing and treating FASD!

Beginnings of San Luis Obispo County (California)

Beginnings of San Luis Obispo County held a celebrity photo contest to show all of the “celebrities” raising FASD awareness in the region.  The winner of the contest was awarded an Apple iPad 2.  They also held a public forum entitled “FASD Prevention: The client perspective” on September 8 and held a three-day public display of white flags on the courthouse lawn to represent children in the county who have been prenatally exposed to alcohol since 2004.

NOFAS Colorado

NOFAS Colorado held two Pregnant Pause events in Denver and Colorado Springs and press were invited to each of the events.  They plan to make a video of the Denver event for use on their website.

NOFAS Illinois

On September 9, NOFAS Illinois held an all day FASD conference entitled "Protecting Babies Developing Brain.” This educational conference targeted academic faculty members, physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychologists, social workers, counselors and mental health professionals.  NOFAS Illinois also succeeded in having the Illinois State Governor to issue a proclamation for FASD Awareness Day.

Bluegrass Prevention Center (Kentucky)

Kentucky has issued a brand new documentary called “These Nine Months: The Realities of Alcohol and Pregnancy” that features Kentucky researchers, physicians, moms and families sharing their experiences with this subject.  It can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/28009148. After watching the film, visit the Bluegrass Prevention Center Facebook page and leave a comment.  Everyone who leaves a comment about the video will be entered into a drawing for six $50 WalMart gift cards on September 14th. http://www.facebook.com/browse/?type=admined_pages&id=100002772346890#!/pages/Fetal-Alcohol-Spectrum-Disorders-Kentucky/176927252379073

Michigan Coalition for Fetal Alcohol Resources, Education and Support (MCFARES)

MCFARES will be holding a benefit dance-a-thon on September 17 to raise awareness of FASD.  This event will raise funds for individuals affected by FASD.  Also at the dance-a-thon, a bake sale and tin-can auction will occur.  For more information on how to participate, please visit www.mcfares.org. 

Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS)

MOFAS has held several events for FASD Awareness Day and will continue to host events and activities throughout the month of September.  At the recent Minnesota State Fair, MOFAS produced a video that played off the ABC TV Show “What Would You Do?”  Ever wonder what would you do if you saw a pregnant woman drinking alcohol?  Would you say something?  MOFAS put this issue to the test.  A woman wearing a fake belly clearly consumed alcohol while the MOFAS team documented the reactions of the public, while providing educational information about the effects of drinking during pregnancy and encouraging people to donate $9 to their 9/9 campaign.  See the results of their test featured on local Twin Cities station KARE 11 here: Pregnant drinking: Social experiment at the Minnesota State Fair.  They also asked fairgoers to sign a petition if they want to be a part of sharing the 049 message and helping to prevent FASD.  MOFAS also had a booth at the state fair and everyone that visited the MOFAS booth was given a 049 chapstick, social media buttons, and an “I SUPPORT 049” sticker.

Special Needs Advocates and Parents (SNAAP) – Nebraska

SNAAP produced twenty radio advertisements and published several articles in local newspapers for FASD Awareness Day.  They were also live on the radio to talk about FASD awareness and handed out FASD awareness flyers in a local parade.

NOFAS New Hampshire

NOFAS New Hampshire held a kick-off meeting on FASD Awareness Day to help establish the organization in the state.  Because of this highly attended and successful event, 15 individuals including DHHS representatives, treatment professionals, physicians, nurses, legislators and parents have agreed to serve on the NOFAS New Hampshire board.

NOFAS New Jersey

NOFAS New Jersey will be hosting FASD awareness events during the winter months due to the close proximity of FASD Awareness Day to September 11th. 

NOFAS North Carolina

NOFAS North Carolina provided daily tweets and Facebook updates on FASD Facts, which began on August 9, featured FASD articles in CPR (Centers for Prevention Resources) and APNC (Addiction Professionals of NC) newsletters and posted articles and a proclamation on the Prevention is the Answer website. They also sent packets with FASD materials and resources to health departments and community health centers and other key partners, held presentations in the region on September 8 and 9 and incorporated information in health fair booths.

Double Arc/NOFAS Ohio

Double ARC/NOFAS Ohio sent FASD awareness fliers to all of their e-mail distribution lists. On September 7, NOFAS Ohio participated in Ohio's state FASD Intercollaborative Workgroup at the State House in Columbus.  Tom Donaldson of NOFAS also participated in this event.

NOFAS South Dakota

NOFAS South Dakota held a wide array of activities for FASD Awareness Day.  These activities included receiving a Proclamation from the South Dakota State Governor, mailing educational FASD materials produced by the Center for Disabilities to every special education director in South Dakota and mailing materials to over 300 physicians, primary care providers and OB/GYN specialists, with a letter co-signed by Dr. Gene Hoyme and Judy Struck.  The letter stresses the importance of early screening and intervention for women at-risk of drinking during pregnancy. FASD Awareness items were on display in the University of South Dakota Medical School lobby during the week of September 5th through September 9th in recognition of FASD Awareness Day.  NOFAS South Dakota also was featured in several local newspapers and on local news programs and radio stations.  Candy Bar and Lifesaver Baskets with FASD Facts attached and FASD Knot Pins and bracelets were left for receptionists at several health and disability organizations across the state.

The Papillion Center for FASD (Tennessee)

The Papillion Center for FASD held several events for FASD Awareness Day including “A Pregnant Pause” Motorcycle Poker Run that involved motorcyclists visiting select bars to receive playing cards to raise awareness of FASD.  In addition to the Motorcycle Poker Run, they also held a contest for the best non-alcoholic beverage at the participating bars and held a “Stomp Out FASD” event at a local university where they handed out information on FASD.

NOFAS United Kingdom

NOFAS UK staged Pregnant Pause events in four cities in England, two cities in Wales and two cities in Scotland, with media in attendance at the majority of the events.

Utah Fetal Alcohol Coalition

Utah Governor Gary Herbert declared 9/9/2011 FASD Awareness Day in the state due to the efforts of the Utah Fetal Alcohol Coalition.  Nursing directors at county health departments throughout Utah also received educational materials on FASD for use in WIC clinics.

• Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed joined NOFAS for a roundtable discussion about FASD and other issues on Capitol Hill on July 27th. The private luncheon was sponsored by CNA, Navy Federal Credit Union, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, CNA, and the Financial Services Roundtable. Reed recognized FASD as the leading known preventable developmental disorder and pledged his support for FASD legislation, expected to be introduced in the U.S. Senate next month. Other FASD-related issues discussed were preserving funding for the federal response to FASD and concern arising from the National Institutes of Health plan to abolish the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the 40-year home for FASD and alcohol research. Senator Reed serves on the Appropriations and Armed Services Committee, and is a senior member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. A former Army Ranger and a West Point graduate, he is passionate about defense, housing, and economic issues and is a strong believer that, through hard work, all Americans should have the opportunity to build a better life. NOFAS luncheons have previously featured former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle, House of Representatives Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, and House Appropriations Ranking Member Norm Dicks.

• NOFAS Vice President and International Spokesperson Kathy Mitchell facilitated a NOFAS Circle of Hope/Birth Mother’s Network meeting in coordination with Dr. Therese Grant, the principal investigator of the Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP). P-CAP is award-winning intervention model working with high-risk mothers who abuse alcohol and drugs during pregnancy. The meeting was held on June 29th in Seattle, Washington as an initial step toward building a bridge between P-CAP and the NOFAS Circle of Hope/Birth Mother’s Network. Ms. Mitchell met with staff from P-CAP and several other groups that serve women who have addiction disorders to discuss issues around supporting women in early recovery and preventing alcohol and drug exposed pregnancies.
  
• The Sixth Annual NOFAS Affiliate Network Summit was held June 20 - 23 in Washington, D.C.  Twenty of the 29 affiliates participated in the activities. Attendees described their current activities and discussed future coalition initiatives and fundraising opportunities and prominent researcher Dr. Phil May presented to the gathering and answered questions about his research. Special guest Elizabeth Dang of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) described the agency's projects and initiatives. Many thanks to the affiliates and presenters who made the trip to Washington and participated in the summit!

Front Row (from left): Melissa Sienkiewicz (MI), Peggy Combs-Way (CA), Allison Brooks (WA), Chris Troutt (TN), Sr. Suzette Fisher (OH), Melissa Jacobus-Cook (GA); Center Row (from left): Brianna Montgomery (NOFAS), Judy Struck (SD), Eileen Bisgard (CO), Laura Nagle (KY), Dr. Leigh Tenkku (MO), Marissa Lang (MN), Joyce Jorgenson (NH); Back Row (from left): Paul Joles (WI), Dr. Susan Adubato (NJ), Shannon Klisch (CA), Amy Hendricks (NC), Kathy Mitchell (NOFAS), Tom Donaldson (NOFAS), Ajeet Charate (IL), Elizabeth Dang (CDC), Lydia Klene (VA); In Attendance, But Not Pictured: Deb Evensen (AK), Barbara Vancil (NE).

• The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has posted a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders grant opportunity open to AAP chapters.

• Kathy Mitchell recently joined forces with Dr. Ira Chasnoff of Children’s Research Triangle (CRT) for a three-day Hawaiian Island FASD Conference tour, “Strong Women, Strong Families: Gender Specific Support for the Women of Hawaii.” Thanks to the efforts of Sharon Bechler, Director of the CRT Hawaii office, all three conferences were a huge success. The conference tour began in Oahu, the second conference was held in Maui, and the last conference was on the Big Island of Hawaii. Each conference was opened with a traditional Hawaiian ceremony and blessing followed by opening remarks from local policy makers. Attendees included healthcare professionals, addiction and mental health counselors and educators. They learned about the rates of pregnant women drinking in Hawaii, FAS and the long-term effects, FASD prevention and gender-specific addiction treatment and the NOFAS Circle of Hope / Birth Mother's Network.

NOFAS extends a very special thanks to Beth Mehau, who organized the first NOFAS Circle of Hope gathering on the Big Island. Families had an opportunity to learn about FASD, and to meet other families who are living with FASD. The meeting was both informative and emotional for many of the attendees. NOFAS will continue to support Ms. Mehau in her effort to address FASD on Hawaii’s Big Island.

                          Sharon Bechler, Ira Chasnoff and Kathy Mitchell

• Kathy Mitchell conducted a training for health care practitioners at Southeast Iowa Community Health Centers in West Burlington, Iowa. The training was the second of a series designed to prepare providers to screen female patients of child-bearing age using the AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - a 3 question screen that can help identify patients with alcohol use disorders). Ms. Mitchell also provided information on how to conduct Brief Motivational Interviews and where to refer women who made need substance abuse counseling and/or treatment. Physicians were provided with information on how to refer patients with possible FASD to Dr. Gene Hoyme in South Dakota. The CHC will begin screening women in March, and plans to add the AUDIT-C screen into their electronic health records to be implemented this year.

• New article on the differences in effective interventions for remediating math skill deficits in children with prenatal alcohol exposure in comparison with other learning disabilities, Number Processing in Adolescents with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and ADHD: Differences in the Neurobehavioral Phenotype.

• NOFAS Vice President and National Spokesperson Kathy Mitchell joined members of the Circle of Hope/Birth Mother’s Network from across the world at a special plenary session at the 4th International Conference on FASD. Kathy also joined NOFAS Media and Communications Coordinator Andy Kachor in interviewing many of the conference’s featured presenters, including Ira Chasnoff, MD, Phil May, PhD, Dr. Michael Charness and other speakers, as well as individuals with FASD and their family members. These interviews will be featured this spring on the new video program, NOFASNow.

• Important new article on the financial cost of FAS, Medical Expenditures of Children in the United States with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

• NOFAS Media and Communications Coordinator Andy Kachor plays the lead role in the short film "Andy and Zach," screening this week at the Sundance Film Festival. The film also stars Zach Woods from the hit NBC television series "The Office." You can watch the 10-minute film in the Sundance YouTube Screening Room for a limited time, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-h9t69K9-o.

• On January 19th, the NOFAS Circle of Hope Birth Mothers Network (COH/BMN), sponsored by SAMHSA's FASD Center for Excellence, held  their annual meeting in Palm Springs, California. This was the fifth annual business meeting of the COH/BMN. Regional Coordinators provided updates on FASD activities in their state or region. The members identified goals for the upcoming months, and plan to gather informally at the upcoming SAMHSA's FASD Center of Excellence Building FASD State Systems (BFSS) meeting to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, May 11 - 13, 2011. On Friday, January 20th, NOFAS Vice President Kathy Mitchell facilitated  a training  for BMN members. Women who attended the day two peer training will now be included in the existing BMN speakers bureau. To locate a birth mother through the Circle of Hope speakers bureau, contact Kathy directly.

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) FASD Center for Excellence (the Center) Expert Panels—the American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Expert Panel and the Center Expert Panel—met December 7-9, 2010, in Vienna, Virginia. The panels met in a general session and separately to discuss their shared and individual tasks. Both Expert Panels contributed their comments and guidance to the outline for the SAMHSA FASD TIP (Treatment Improvement Protocol)—best-practice guidelines on substance abuse treatment and other care—which the Center is currently drafting. They also heard a presentation by A. Kathryn Power, MEd, Director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Her presentation focused on SAMHSA’s newly identified strategic initiatives that will hopefully position SAMHSA to better complement changes related to health care reform.

• On December 4, the NOFAS Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Support Group held its annual holiday meeting at Holy Cross Hospital in Sliver Spring, Maryland.

• In November, Kathy Mitchell presented at a Washington, D.C. workshop sponsored by the Foster and Adoptive Parent Advocacy Center (FAPAC) and the Resource Parent Training Coalition (RPTC). In addition to her presentation, Raising children who have been prenatally exposed to alcohol, she also led a panel of families affected by FASD featuring members of the NOFAS Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Support Group. The panel included Mark, Cathy and Taylor Allen of College Park, MD and Denise and Dominica Tilrico of Hyattsville, MD. The family panel was humorous and emotional and was the highlight of the event.

• Sister Suzette Fisher, FASD Specialist for Double Arc of Toledo, Ohio, was elected to the NOFAS Board of Directors as the NOFAS Affiliate Network representative.

• September 9 is International FASD Awareness Day.

• William Edwards, Deputy Public Defender, Mental Health Court, Los Angeles County, was named to the NOFAS Advisory Board.

• On July 16, Kathy Mitchell hosted a meeting of the Circle of Hope in Orlando, Florida.

• Congressman Don Young joined the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Caucus on FASD.

• Anne Marie Finley, Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy for Celgene Corporation, was elected to the NOFAS Board of Directors.

• The annual NOFAS Leadership Awards Benefit was held on June 15 in Washington, D.C.

• On April 7, NOFAS co-sponsored an FASD workshop for social workers at the University of Maryland.

• On March 30, Kathy Mitchell presented a workshop on FASD to Professor Joan Riley's nursing students at Georgetown University.

• The NOFAS course at the Georgetown University Medical School, "But Isn't a Little Wine Okay? The Truth about Drinking during Pregnancy," kicked of on March 26.

• On March 5, Kathy Mitchell addressed youth that reside in HOC housing programs about alcohol and other drug use and the consequences.

• Kathy Mitchell presented at the National Southeastern Conference on Alcohol and Drug Addiction (SECAD) conference on February 21-24 in Nashville, Tennessee where she met with hundreds of treatment agencies and providers and provided information about the Circle of Hope and their role in preventing FASD, and treatment modification for clients that may have FASD.
  
• Ed Riley, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Psychology, and the Director of the Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, was elected to the NOFAS Board of Directors.

• Kathy Mitchell presented to all the members of the George Washington University Physician Assistants program on December 8 in Washington, D.C.

• Kathy Mitchell participated in the December 2-3 SAMHSA FASD Center of Excellence Expert Panel Meeting  in McLean, Virginia.

• Kathy Mitchell is serving as an expert consultant to Terra Nova Learning Systems in support of a project to develop an online resource for caregivers of children living with an FASD.

• Kathy Mitchell led a November 18 training for the staff of the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration, Office of Prevention Services, Washington, D.C.

• The NOFAS Executive Committee met in Washington, D.C. on November 16.

• On November 17, Kathy Mitchell conducted an FASD Identification and Intervention workshop for the Resident Services Division of the Housing Opportunities Commission(HOC), Montgomery County, Maryland.

• NOFAS hosted a November 3rd dinner in Washington, D.C. with Congressman Norm Dicks (D - WA) and key NOFAS sponsors including Medco, BAE Systems, TriWest and CNA Corporation.

• Erin Frey presented to the clinical staff of the Riverside San Bernardino County Indian Clinics on November 3.

• On October 28, Kathy Mitchell appeared at the Montgomery County Government Center for Continuous Learning, Health and Human Resources in Montgomery County, Maryland.

• Kathy Mitchell presented, "FASD Identification, Intervention & Prevention" to 125 allied health care workers oat the Council on Alcohol and Drugs in Houston, Texas, on October 16.

• On October 2, Kathy Mitchell conducted a training for the Center for Adoption Support and Education in Burtonsville, Maryland.

• Erin Frey conducted the first of two presentations to staff of the Harrisonburg Community Health Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on September 30.

• Kathy Mitchell was the lead presenter at the National Professional Training Conference on Responding to Crime Victims with Disabilities, in Denver, Colorado, on September 30.

• Tom Donaldson was quoted in a CBS News Radio story regarding, Holmes v. Louisiana, the FASD-related case conferenced by the Supreme Court of the United States on September 29. Kathy Mitchell and Tom Donaldson were quoted in several dozen print and website articles during the week on the same subject.

• On September 23, Tom Donaldson participated on a panel at a meeting of the National Institutes on Health (NIH) Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB), Substance Use, Abuse, and Addiction (SUAA) workgroup.

• Kathy Mitchell conducted a three-hour presentation on September 21 at Miner Elementary School in Washington, DC regarding students with FASD. The audience consisted of 75 teachers and counselors.
• On September 18, Kathy Mitchell conducted a day-long presentation, The Prenatal and Lifelong Effects of FASD, in Asheville, North Carolina, in conjunction with Mission Hospitals Fullerton Genetics Center.

• Kathy Mitchell was the guest speaker at the NOFAS FASD Parent and Family Support Group in Suburban Maryland on September 15.

• The NOFAS Board of Directors met on September 10 in Washington, D.C.

• NOFAS sponsored an FASD advocates rally at Rockefeller Center in New York City at the outdoor Today Show set on FASD Awareness Day, September 9.

• Kathy Mitchell and Erin Frey attended the Maryland FASD Coalition meeting in Baltimore on August 20.

• Lauren Pulte is working on a range of writing projects for NOFAS this summer including website content, media outreach, the NOFAS annual report and a call to action document.

• Tom Donaldson and Kathy Mitchell presented to a graduate school class at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. on July 21. The students are developing FASD advocacy plans for Maryland and Virginia.

• Danielle Martin a medical school student at Georgetown University is working in the NOFAS office this summer providing program support.

• NOFAS is now on Twitter!

• Lisa Murkowski, Tom Daschle, Glynn Crooks, Dr. Claire Coles and Barbara Wybrecht headlined the annual NOFAS Leadership Awards Benefit on June 24, in Washington, D.C.

• NOFAS sponsored an FASD Legislation and Policy Forum in Washington, D.C.

• NOFAS hosted the sixth annual meeting of its affiliates on June 23.

• Kathy Mitchell presented at a FASD conference sponsored by Mercy Child Advocacy Center in Sioux City, Iowa on June 11.

• The NOFAS Board of Directors met on June 9 to discuss the upcoming NOFAS benefit and policy forum, and conduct other business.

• Kathy Mitchell conducted a Birth Mother's Network Peer Training on June 8 and 9 in Orlando, FL.

• Patton Boggs LLP, the NOFAS pro bono legal firm, submitted on behalf of NOFAS an Amicus Curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in support of a petition for writ of certiorari in the case of Brandy Holmes, a 29-year old women with FAS currently on death row in Louisiana.

• Tom Donaldson and Kathy Mitchell participated in the May 20 Friends of NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) Congressional briefing.

• NOFAS is addressing the recent media coverage of a paper in the Journal of Medical Ethics, "You can't handle the truth; medical paternalism and prenatal alcohol use", that in part calls it unethical for practitioners to advise women to completely abstain from alcohol use during pregnancy. NOFAS is seeking coverage of its viewpoint on the issues raised in the publication. This is the latest effort to influence the official government position on alcohol consumption during pregnancy in the United Kingdom. NOFAS disagrees with the publication's premise and conclusions, and supports the latest advisory on the subject from the U.S. Surgeon General that emphasizes that women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or who could be pregnant, abstain from alcohol due to the risk of birth defects.

• NOFAS is supporting the Washington, D.C.-based legal firm, Patton Boggs, in the preparation of an Amicus Curiae or "friend of the court" brief in support of a petition to the United States Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari to review the Louisiana Supreme Court's judgment in the case of Brandy Holmes. Holmes has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and was sentenced to death for her involvement in crimes in Louisiana. The brief argues in part that her FAS is a mitigating circumstance rendering a capital sentence a violation of her constitutional rights.

• This spring NOFAS has moved to a new location. The new NOFAS office address in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. is 1200 Eton Court, Third Floor, Washington, DC  20007. The telephone and fax numbers remain the same.

• Both Kathy Mitchell and NOFAS Program Director Erin Frey, MD, participated in the SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence BFSS meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 13.

• Kathy Mitchell hosted a breakfast meeting of the NOFAS affiliate network in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on may 13.

• Tom Donaldson taught the NOFAS class on the moral and legal implications of FASD, and public policy issues, at Georgetown University School of Medicine on May 13.

• On May 12, Kathy Mitchell participated in the SAMHSA Center of Excellence expert panel meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• The Circle of Hope - Birth Mother Network (COH-BMN), founded by NOFAS Vice President Kathy Mitchell, met in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 11.

• Bri Montgomery hosted the NOFAS Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area FASD Support Group at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, on May 9.

• Tom Donaldson and Erin Frey attended the meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on FASD (ICCFASD) on May 8.

• On May 6, Grace Chang, MD, MPH, Associate Physician in Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Brigham and Women's Hospital  in Boston, MA, presented at the NOFAS medical school class at Georgetown University.

• The spring 2009 Georgetown University Medical School Selective, "But Isn’t Wine Okay? Identifying and Preventing Fetal Brain Damage" is an enormous success. Karli Schrider was a guest presenter on April 29th. On May 6th, Dr. Grace Chang will be the guest speaker and will discuss women, addiction, screening and brief intervention.  

• Bri Montgomery encourages you to buy the NEW women’s fitted Warrior Mom shirt!  Now available for only $15 in chocolate brown, pale yellow, and black!

• Tom Donaldson opposed the proposed study of a merger between the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the April 28th meeting of the NIH Scientific Management Review Board.

• Dr. Erin Frey presented the NOFAS class at the Georgetown University School of Medicine on April 22nd. The class focused on the Disease of Addiction, Women and Addiction, and Screening Women for Alcohol in Community Health Centers. Noelle Kidwell, BSN, joined Dr. Frey as a guest presenter.

• On April 21st, Dr. Frey Trained 14 clinical staff at Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health community health center in Jackson, Mississippi on FASD prevention, screening, and diagnosis. 

• Kathy Mitchell traveled to Cranbrook, British Columbia the week of April 20th where she facilitated two FASD Conferences for the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child & Family Services Society. Day one was targeted to professionals and day two the community members. 

• Dr. Erin Frey trained 60 clinical staff at Muskegon Family Care community health center in Muskegon Heights, Michigan on FASD prevention, screening, and diagnosis. 

• Kathy Mitchell facilitated a workshop for the administrators and faculty from Kensington Elementary School in Kensington, Maryland, where she featured the NOFAS K-12 FASD Prevention Curriculum.  

• Kathy Mitchell facilitated an FASD workshop for psychologists that work in the Maryland school system. Susan Parks, PhD, from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland provided information about diagnosis and testing. Five Maryland counties participated in the workshop.

• Kathy Mitchell and Tom Donaldson spoke at an April 16th FASD symposium at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. "FASD: Translating Research to Policies that Assure Essential Services" was developed and hosted by Dr. Carole Brown, former FASD Task Force Member.

• On April 3rd, Dr. Frey Trained 15 clinical staff at Central Virginia Health Services community health center in Farmville, Virginia, on FASD prevention, screening, and diagnosis. 

• Dr. Frey and Bri Montgomery are coordinating with Utah’s Safe and Drug Free Schools to hold a Focus Group with Utah teachers on the NOFAS K-12 FASD Prevention curriculum.