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NOFAS Announces New Affiliate Program
WASHINGTON DC—On January 11, 2005, The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome kicked off the year with the announcement of its new Affiliation Program. Four new affiliates were announced in Washington, Oregon, Connecticut, and Alaska and affiliate agreements with NOFAS' existing three affiliates in Minnesota, South Dakota, and California were reconstituted. These Affiliations will align the objectives of all organizations involved in order to unify the call for prevention, identification, and treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
"With 40,000 babies born each year with FASD, it is critical that we as a society work together to combat what amounts to roughly one out of every 100 babies having preventable birth defects," said Kathy Tavenner Mitchell, Vice President of NOFAS and birth mother of a child with fetal alcohol syndrome.
NOFAS' new affiliates are FASCETS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Consultation, Education, and Training Services, Inc.) in the state of Oregon, NOFAS Alaska, NOFAS Washington, and NOFAS Connecticut in those states respectively. They add to NOFAS' network of existing affiliates in CALFAS (California Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Organization); MOFAS (Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome), St. Paul; and NOFAS South Dakota.
Michelle Bidwell, President of NOFAS Connecticut, recently remarked, "This is a great opportunity for us to associate with a national organization that will help us gain momentum locally for our efforts in FASD prevention, care and advocacy".
Through these relationships, NOFAS and its Affiliates will undertake collaborations to build community coalitions, conduct public outreach, develop tailored fact sheets, coordinate advocacy efforts, and create media awareness campaigns. NOFAS' future collaborations with its affiliates would be on various levels. For example, in organizing public health fairs, holding a statewide conference, organizing advocacy efforts in state capitals, establishing a statewide task force, and organizing educational and training programs.
NOFAS President, Tom Donaldson said, "Since FASD exists in every community nationwide, NOFAS will not consider its affiliation efforts complete until a network of affiliates has been developed in every state and community throughout the United States".
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