Advancing Essential

Services and Research

on Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders

A Report of
the National
Task Force on
Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome
and Fetal
Alcohol Effect
CS121973

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

A Call
to Action

Advancing Essential Services and Research

on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
A Report of the National Task Force on
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect
Prepared by:
National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and
Fetal Alcohol Effect Post Exposure Writing Group
Heather Carmichael Olson, PhD
Melinda M. Ohlemiller, BA, MA
Mary J. OConnor, PhD, ABPP
Carole W. Brown, EdD
Colleen A. Morris, MD
Karla Damus, RN, PhD

March 2009

CONTENTS
Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................................... i
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... ii
A CALL TO ACTION.................................................................................................................................... 1
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.................................................................................................... 3
APPENDICES . ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Appendix A: Action Steps for Recommendations of the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

and Fetal Alcohol Effect . .............................................................................................................. 7
Appendix B: Accomplishments of the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal

Alcohol Effect ................................................................................................................................ 9
Appendix C: Overview of the Strategic Research Plan on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders from the

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism ................................................................11
Appendix D: Activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Related to Fetal Alcohol

Spectrum Disorders ....................................................................................................................12
Appendix E: Overview of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations FASD

Center for Excellence ..................................................................................................................14
Appendix F: Information about the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome ..... 15

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................17

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks go to the following individuals for the development of this report.
National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect - Members: Jean A. Wright, MD (Chair),
Backus Childrens Hospital, Savannah, GA; Kristen L. Barry, PhD, Department of Veterans Affairs and University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; James E. Berner, MD, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium; Carole W. Brown,
EdD, Catholic University of America; Raul Caetano, MD, PhD, MPH, University of Texas School of Public Health;
Grace Chang, MD, MPH, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA;
Mary C. DeJoseph, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Lisa A. Miller, MD, MSPH,
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Colleen A. Morris, MD, University of Nevada School of
Medicine; Mary J. OConnor, PhD, University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine;
Melinda M. Ohlemiller, BA, MA, Nurses for Newborns Foundation (formerly of the Saint Louis Arc);
Heather Carmichael Olson, PhD, University of Washington, School of Medicine; Kenneth R. Warren, PhD, National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Liaison Representatives: George Brenneman, MD, FAAP, American Academy of Pediatrics; Karla Damus, RN,
PhD, March of Dimes; George A. Hacker, JD, Center for Science in the Public Interest; Kathleen T. Mitchell, MHS,
LCADC, National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; Sharon Davis, PhD, Arc of the United States; Robert J.
Sokol, MD, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Post-Exposure Working Group Members (Past and Present): George Brenneman, MD, FAAP, American
Academy of Pediatrics; Carole W. Brown, EdD, Catholic University of America; Faye Calhoun, PhD, Former
Deputy Director, NIAAA and consultant to NIAAA; Deborah E. Cohen, PhD (co-chair), New Jersey Department
of Human Services, Trenton, NJ; Sharon Davis, PhD, Arc of the United States; Callie Gass, FASD Center for
Excellence, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); Colleen A. Morris, MD,
University of Nevada School of Medicine; Mary J. OConnor, PhD (co-chair), University of California at Los
Angeles School of Medicine; Melinda M. Ohlemiller, Saint Louis Arc; Heather Carmichael Olson, PhD (co-chair),
University of Washington, School of Medicine; Charles M. Schad, EdD, Retired Educator, Spearfish, South
Dakota; Jacquelyn Bertrand, PhD, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD),
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Elizabeth Parra Dang, MPH, NCBDDD, CDC
Post-Exposure Writing Group: Heather Carmichael Olson, PhD, University of Washington, School of Medicine;
Melinda M. Ohlemiller, BA, MA, Nurses for Newborns Foundation (formerly of the Saint Louis Arc);
Mary J. OConnor, PhD, University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine;
Carole W. Brown, EdD, Catholic University of America; Colleen A. Morris, MD,
University of Nevada School of Medicine; Karla Damus, RN, PhD, March of Dimes
Additional Reviewers and Consultants: Jacquelyn Bertrand, PhD, NCBDDD, CDC;
R. Louise Floyd, DSN, RN, NCBDDD, CDC; Mary Kate Weber, MPH, NCBDDD, CDC;
Coleen Boyle, PhD, NCBDDD, CDC; Jos F. Cordero, MD, MPH, University of Puerto Rico School of Public
Health (formerly Director of NCBDDD, CDC); Kathleen T. Mitchell, MHS, LCADC,
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; Robert J. Sokol, MD,
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Kenneth R. Warren, PhD, NIAAA, NIH
Appreciation to: the Winokur and Welch families for sharing their photos
(Cover: Donnie, Iyal and Morasha Winokur; Page 3: Debbie and Erin Welch).

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

INTRODUCTION
In 2004, the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect, coordinated by the
Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National
Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities,
established a working group committed to addressing the
needs of individuals living with fetal alcohol spectrum
disorders (FASDs) and their families. The culmination
of this working groups discussions and Task Force
deliberations is reflected in this Call to Action report.
The document highlights ten recommendations to
improve and expand efforts regarding early identification,
diagnostic services, and quality research on interventions
for individuals with FASDs and their families. Additional
background information is provided to support these
recommendations and to further educate readers on the
topic of FASDs, progress to date, and what still needs to
be done to support individuals with FASDs. The intent
of this report is to guide federal, state and local agencies,
researchers and clinicians, family support groups, and
other partners on actions needed to advance essential
services for individuals with FASDs and their families and
to promote continued intervention research efforts.

ii

A CALL TO ACTION
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs)
are serious, lifelong birth defects and developmental
disabilities caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. They
are 100% preventable. Still, a surprisingly large number
of children are born with FASDs each year.
FASDs are a public health problem we must face. The U.S.
Surgeon General has stated clearly that no amount of alcohol
consumption can be considered safe for a pregnant woman
and that alcohol can damage a fetus at any stage of pregnancy
(Office of the Surgeon General, 2005). Yet, recent U.S. surveys
reveal that approximately 12% of pregnant women still drink
alcohol (CDC, 2004; SAMHSA, 2007). This means 1 in 8
fetuses are exposed to alcohol and placed at risk for FASDs.
Maternal alcohol use is a growing worldwide phenomenon.
It affects children and families of all ethnicities in all societies.
Important international collaborative research is beginning
to describe the alarming scope of this problem. While
community and professional awareness of FASDs
have increased, expanded awareness and informed action
are sorely needed.
FASDs cause a range of lasting medical and
developmental problems and result in economic
losses of billions of dollars.
FASDs can also mean long-standing suffering for families.
FASDs are considered both medical conditions and
developmental disabilities. They include a wide range of
conditions, from subtle neurodevelopmental impairments
to the full fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Individuals with
FASDs can have physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning
disabilities with possible lifelong implications. Research shows
that individuals with FASDs often have significant, longterm deficits in functional life skills. These deficits lead to
problems with day-to-day functioning as well as health care
issues, including birth defects and increased risk for injury,
unintended pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases.
FASDs can also be associated with mental health difficulties,
disrupted school and job experiences, trouble with the law,
difficulties with independent living, substance abuse, problems
with parenting, and more (Bertrand et al., 2004; Streissguth
et al., 2004). The median adjusted annual cost of fetal alcohol
syndrome has been estimated at $3.6 billion, but the costs
associated with the entire fetal alcohol spectrum are surely
much higher.

Early, appropriate diagnosis of FASDs is a vital first

step to improving outcomes for affected individuals
and their families.
There is an emerging consensus on how to define FASDs;
however, much research is needed to reach a diagnostic
standard and to delineate the entire fetal alcohol spectrum.
Diagnostic capacity is growing yet still insufficient in the
United States, Canada, and abroad. For this reason, many
individuals with FASDs are unrecognized or misdiagnosed.
Efforts are ongoing to create and use standardized, reliable
diagnostic systems across the globe and to continually
improve guidelines as new knowledge emerges from research.
Expert opinion from treating professionals, a wealth
of family experience, compelling animal research,
and pioneering intervention studies indicate
that appropriate treatment of FASDs can have a
measurable, positive impact.
At the present time, even when appropriately diagnosed,
individuals with FASDs often receive treatment that
is incomplete or inappropriate. Without suitable
treatment and interventions, individuals with FASDs
may never reach their full potential. Not providing
suitable treatment can also result in unnecessary costs as
individuals enter systems (such as juvenile justice) with
problems that data suggest could have been averted by
earlier intervention. Families of affected individuals also
need support within the medical and health care systems,
and in early intervention and education, juvenile justice
and corrections, substance abuse treatment, mental health
systems, and social services.

Fortunately, it is possible to define and address the treatment

problems raised by FASDs. Because of increasing societal
concern, especially over the past 10 years, important steps
have been taken and the need for further action made very
clear. In the United States, needs assessments have taken
place through nationwide public town hall meetings and
community agency initiatives (Ryan, Bonnett & Gass,
2006). Intervention guidelines for FASDs are evolving in the
United States, Canada, England, and other countries around
the world. Strategic research plans are in place to stimulate
better description of the entire fetal alcohol spectrum, hone
diagnosis, and explain mechanisms of alcohols action on
the developing childs body and brain so that biomarkers
and targeted treatments can be identified. An important but
limited program of systematic FASD intervention research has
begun in the United States and abroad.

Collaboration between government agencies,

professional organizations, researchers, and families
is needed to adequately address FASDs.
In 2000, the United States Congress initiated a national
forum for discussion of FASDs and interagency coordination
at the federal level. Building on existing research, and advised
by experts and parents, federal leaders have put in place
strategic research plans for funding the study of FASDs. To
promote further organized action, the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA) FASD
Center for Excellence has compiled a comprehensive database
of available educational materials and products, research on
FASDs, field-initiated efforts to educate professionals and
the public, and community-based and/or research-driven
efforts to provide services. Appendices B through F provide
information on the efforts of the National Task Force on
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect, National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA),
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
SAMHSA through their FASD Center for Excellence, and the
Interagency Coordinating Committee on FAS (ICCFAS).

The groundwork has been laid to confront the

serious public health problem presented by FASDs.
It is reasonable, efficient, and humane to establish
an integrated system of services for individuals
and families affected by these conditions. This is
a problem that can be dealt with, but momentum
must be sustained. What is needed is well-informed
public policy on FASDs and a clear, ongoing societal
commitment to advancing research and ensuring
essential services for persons with FASDs and
their caregivers.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
and Fetal Alcohol Effect has developed the following
recommendations to respond to the need for essential
services for and research on FASDs. Specific action
steps to carry out these recommendations are found
in Appendix A.

1. Modify eligibility and diagnostic classification systems

to include FASDs so as to recognize FASDs as

approved conditions under all federal disability-related
benefit programs.
2. Improve diagnostic access by setting up screening
systems for FASDs and increasing professional
multidisciplinary diagnostic capacity in communities.
3. Intensify research initiatives and interagency
coordination to:
delineate the full fetal alcohol spectrum,
continue study of alcohol mechanisms
and biomarkers,
carry out longitudinal descriptive studies,
establish effective interventions,
translate interventions to the community, and
improve the quality and utilization of
interventions in all service systems for
those with FASDs.
4. Promote a comprehensive and accessible continuum
of care for families raising infants, children, and
adolescents with FASDs.
5. Promote a comprehensive and accessible continuum
of care for youth, adults, and older individuals
with FASDs.
6. Encourage comprehensive professional education on
FASDs, and assessment of knowledge gained, within
multiple service systems.
7. Enhance strong, collaborative, interagency
leadership at state and national levels (that includes
parent representation) to inform legislators,
policymakers, and the public.
8. Recognize grassroots family support and advocacy
organizations focused on FASDs, which are powerful
and efficient agents of change.
9. Improve ongoing national surveillance systems to
identify individuals with FASDs to better track
prevalence, provide needed intervention, and
assess the impact of prevention programs.
10. Maintain a national forum in which parents,
advocates, professional organizations, and experts
in the field of FASDs can work to advance
essential services and research for individuals with
FASDs and their families.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are FASDs?

FASDs are increasingly understood as a spectrum or

continuum of effects found across many aspects of physical
development, learning, and function (Warren et al., 2004).
Individuals with FASDs can, but do not always, show
adverse physical signs, such as characteristic facial anomalies
or other body malformations. The learning and functional
effects of prenatal alcohol exposure are the most troubling
and difficult (but important) to identify, diagnose, and treat.
These effects vary not only in type, but in severity. Some
individuals can be mildly affected in one area of learning or
behavior, but moderately or severely affected in another area.
The range of FASDs includes the full fetal alcohol syndrome
(FAS). Although FAS is found in a fairly small proportion
of children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, it is most
easily diagnosed. Unfortunately, the effects of alcohol are
not readily recognized if they do not fit the classic FAS
definition. A larger number of children, adolescents, and
adults have prenatal alcoholinduced impairments that can
be just as serious, or more so, than those seen in people with
FAS (Kodituwakku, 2007; Mattson, Riley, Gramling, Delis
& Jones, 1998; Riley & McGee, 2005). The terms partial
FAS and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder
(ARND) have been applied to these conditions, along with
other diagnostic terms. In addition, some children prenatallyexposed to alcohol are born without the characteristic facial
features of FAS, but have other alcohol-related physical
abnormalities of the skeleton and certain organ systems.
These anomalies are referred to as alcohol-related birth
defects (ARBD) (Alcohol Research & Health, 2000;
Stratton, Howe & Battaglia, 1996).

How does alcohol affect fetal development?

Alcohol is a neurobehavioral teratogena substance that

through prenatal exposure affects the body and (most
importantly) the brain of a developing fetus. Alcohol
alters how neurons and connections between neurons are
formed. It also affects development at the cellular, hormonal,
neurochemical, structural, and functional levels. It is thought
that alcohol exposure affects fetal programming, laying
the groundwork for atypical development and adverse life
outcomes. Extensive animal research, long-term human
descriptive studies, clinical studies, and neuroimaging research
all come together to clearly show the lifelong negative impact

that alcohol use during pregnancy can have on the developing

child (Burden, Jacobson & Jacobson, 2005; Gemma, Vichi &
Testai, 2007; Hannigan, OLeary-Moore, & Berman, 2007;
Kodituwakku, 2007; Miller & Spear, 2006; Sokol et al.,
2007; Spadoni, McKee, Fryer & Riley, 2007; Streissguth et
al., 2004; Zhang, Sliwowska & Weinberg, 2005).

How common are FASDs?

In the United States, FASDs are now known to have a higher

prevalence rate than previously thought and to occur across all
ethnicities. The reported rates of FAS vary widely, depending
on the population studied and surveillance methods used.
CDC studies show FAS rates ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 cases
per 1,000 live births. Such rates are comparable with or above
other common developmental disabilities such as Down
Syndrome or Spina Bifida (Bertrand et al., 2004). Other
alcohol-related conditions resulting from prenatal exposure,
such as partial FAS, ARND, and ARBD, are believed to occur
about three times as often as FAS (Sampson et al., 1997).
But the full extent of the problem is still under investigation,
and improved prevalence studies are needed. Some have
estimated the rates of the full range of FASDs as high as 9 or
10 per 1,000 live births (May & Gossage, 2001; Sampson
et al., 1997). Reasonable estimates translate to about 40,000
alcohol-impacted births in the United States each year
(Lupton, Burd & Harwood, 2004). FASDs are also a global
health problem. FASDs are found worldwide, usually at rates
similar to those in the United States. But some countries
with even higher prevalence rates have reached out for
guidance and collaboration in research efforts to address
FASDs. Many nations have had long-standing concern about
FASDs, and there is now emerging alarm in countries that
had not previously recognized the problem. (Viljoen et al.,
2005; May et al., 2006).

Where Are We Now in Responding to FASDs?

Prevention of FASDs and community education
remain important.

What are the costs of FASDs? The costs of FASDs are both

human and financial. The human costs of FASDs arise from

the debilitating secondary disabilities found among affected
individuals, and the emotional and financial burdens on
their familiesmade clear in nationwide town hall meetings
that took place from 2002 to 2005 (Ryan, Bonnett & Gass,
2006). For instance, parents raising children with clearly
diagnosed FASDs report clinically elevated levels of stress
(Paley, OConnor, Frankel & Marquardt, 2006). Careful
estimates of economic cost data in the United States for the
full fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) reveal that it is one of the
most costly birth defects. Lupton and colleagues (2004)
estimated that the median adjusted annual cost of FAS to
the U.S. economy is $3.6 billion. They also estimated that
the adjusted total lifetime cost per individual with FAS (as of
2002 and updated based on the medical services price index)
was $2.9 million. Annual state cost estimates vary depending
on population and female at-risk drinking rates. More details
on published cost studies can be found on SAMHSAs FASD
Center for Excellence website (www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov).
Little is known about costs of the wider fetal alcohol spectrum
beyond FAS, but additional affected individuals can only
further raise societal costs and caregiving burden.

Pregnant women are advised to abstain from all alcohol

use, a long-standing federal advisory that is also supported
by major professional societies (e.g., American College of
Obstetricians & Gynecologists, 2005). However, studies
conducted by the CDC (2004) and SAMHSA (2007) found
that 12% of pregnant women reported consuming alcohol,
with 2-3% reporting binge drinking (5 or more drinks per
drinking occasion). Of the approximately 4 million live
births in the United States per year, this translates to almost
a half million women consuming alcohol during pregnancy
with an estimated 80,000-120,000 women drinking alcohol
at levels that place their babies at increased risk for adverse
outcomes. In another study, approximately 3% of pregnant
women reported drinking at levels that have been consistently
associated with adverse effects on the fetus (Jacobson &
Jacobson, 1999). Also, more than half of all women of
childbearing age (18 through 44 years of age) reported
alcohol use, and approximately one in eight reported binge
drinking in the past month (CDC, 2004; SAMHSA, 2007).
Given that half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned (Finer
& Henshaw, 2006), this rate of drinking among women of
childbearing age poses a substantial risk for FASDs.

In response to this public health concern, a clinical plan of

action for reducing adverse outcomes from prenatal alcohol
exposure has been proposed (Floyd, OConnor, Bertrand &
Sokol, 2006). Some progress has been made in preventing
FASDs, although prevention must remain a major aim.
Educational approaches on screening for and preventing
womens drinking have been developed. Both brief and
indicated, longer-term preventive treatment methods have
been tested. The National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Affect recently reviewed the
evidence to date on effective prevention methods to reduce
alcohol use and alcohol-exposed pregnancies and developed
recommendations to inform future research, practice, and
public policy regarding prevention of FASDs (Barry et al.,

2009). Community awareness of FASDs has increased, but

must expand. A broad range of educational materials have
been created, and these materials need wider dissemination.
Importantly, pivotal federal task forces and professional
societies are beginning to take a stand on prevention of
FASDs and producing guidelines for how to respond (e.g.,
American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000; American College of
Obstetricians & Gynecologists, 2006; NIAAA, 2005; U.S.
Preventive Services Task Force, 2004).
Prevention of FASDs can be achieved. Evidence is accumulating
that preventive intervention can reduce prenatal alcohol use
and increase family planning efforts (e.g., Chang, McNamara
& Orav, 2005; Floyd et al., 2007; Grant, Ernst, Streissguth &
Stark, 2005; OConnor & Whaley, 2007). It is important to
assess different preventive approaches (universal, selective, and
indicated) targeting different types of populations (Hankin,
2002), and to study the success of multi-level, community-wide
prevention efforts. Continuing, definitive prevention research,
including innovations such as the study of neuroprotective
agents, is crucial. But prevention of FASDs cannot be the only
response to this set of developmental disabilities.

Accurate detection and expanded diagnosis of FASDs

are essential. Even with prevention efforts, many children

are born with FASDs and need diagnosis and appropriate

intervention across the lifespan. Their families, schools, service
systems, and larger communities need support and effective,
practical ways to respond. Surveillance programs and research
are underway to understand womens drinking and rates of
FAS. There are small but lively research programs studying
biomarkers and alcohol exposure ascertainment. This research
will allow better screening and detection in pregnancy or early
infancy. Researchers are actively studying the reliability of
existing FASD diagnostic systems, while also collaborating to
improve diagnostic methodology through technology such as
imaging and both 2-D and 3-D facial modeling. Research to
case-define disorders along the entire fetal alcohol spectrum
is underway, using behavioral and physical methodologies,
including brain imaging. Better case definitions will allow
more precise estimates of prevalence across the full range of
FASDs. In particular, there is a crucial need to case-define
alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), which
has not yet been adequately described, although research is
actively being pursued. These promising research programs
must continue in order to expand and build momentum to
accomplish the goals of precision in estimating prevalence
and incidence; in detecting prenatal alcohol exposure and
the possible presence of FASDs as early as possible; and
in developing clear diagnoses. Meanwhile, though, useful
diagnostic guidelines do exist (e.g., Bertrand et al., 2004;
Chudley et al., 2005). Practical and increasingly widely
used diagnostic systems that can describe the full range of

alcohol-related disabilities are in use, and successful models

for diagnostic clinics do exist. What is urgently needed is a
significant increase in FASD diagnostic capacity
and accessibility.

Intervention for individuals with FASDs is a high

priority. There is real hope that with appropriate and early

intervention, children with FASDs can have improved

outcomes. Basic animal research and human studies are
building the case that diagnosis and intervention can change
outcome. Research on animal models of FAS suggests
that there is neuronal plasticity and that appropriate
environmental enrichment and motor training has potential
to improve behavioral and learning outcomes and reduce
alcohol-induced injury to the brain and central nervous
system. This is thought to be especially true early in life, but
even to occur during the animal equivalent of adolescence or
early adulthood (e.g., Hannigan et al., 2007). Animal research
suggests that pharmacological treatments may also have
positive effects (e.g., Vaglenova et al., 2007). Natural history
research on clinical human samples highlights protective
factors that are related to reduced odds that negative
outcomes in functional life skills will occur among individuals
with FASDs (Streissguth et al., 2004). These protective factors
can be enhanced through intervention.
Infant mental health studies and early intervention research
among children with a variety of developmental disabilities
suggest strong potential for positive change if intervention
is designed on the basis of current scientific data about child
development and early psychopathology (Olson, Jirikowic,
Kartin & Astley, 2007). Treatment in the school years
or adolescence can likely improve educational outcomes
and functional life skills, and prevent or reduce secondary
disabilities and debilitating family strife (Coles, Strickland,
Padgett & Bellmoff, 2006; Kalberg & Buckley, 2007).
Indeed, recent carefully controlled FASD intervention
studies in the United States show positive effects for schoolage children and families (Coles et al., 2009; Interventions
for Children with FASDs Research Consortium, in press;
Kable et al., 2007; OConnor et al., 2006; Olson et al.,
2005), and pilot studies in the United States and abroad
show promise (e.g., Adnams et al., 2007). Even as late as
adulthood, diagnosis and intervention for individuals with
FASDs are deemed crucial (especially holistic treatment and
management of associated mental disorders), and can likely
reduce suffering and cost to affected individuals and those
who care for them (Streissguth & OMalley, 2000). Many
promising intervention ideas exist, and parents and providers
are discussing what is needed within the full continuum of
services (Olson, 2006). Some field-initiated intervention
projects are also underway in the United States (see
SAMHSAs FASD Center for Excellence

[www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov] and CDC websites

[www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas]), and several international
cooperative projects for prevention and intervention with
FASDs are operating, as part of global outreach to resourcepoor countries (Calhoun et al., 2006). But these services and
beginning intervention research are truly only a foundation.
Much work remains to be done in the high-priority, underfunded, and relatively unexplored area of intervention for
FASDs. Intervention research should become a major focus
in the field of FASDs. Research should be programmatic
and, when possible, conducted in randomized control trials,
and held to standards that will generate an appropriate
evidence base.

Ongoing communication and cooperation between

government, professional organizations, researchers,
and families are imperative.
The basic systems needed to ensure advancement in the field
of FASDs do exist, and it is imperative that these systems
be maintained. Since the mid 1970s, student and senior
basic scientists, animal researchers, and clinical investigators
interested in FASDs have met together as the FASD Study
Group (see http://rsoa.org/fas.html). This research interchange, which began spontaneously, now includes efficient
interaction with agencies interested in FASDs, has been
encouraged by the NIAAA, and has resulted in faster research
progress. There is currently a productive and wide-ranging
research environment exploring FASDs, although the number of researchers remains relatively small (Bonthius, Olson
& Thomas, 2006). The NIAAA and CDC have agendas
for research on FASDs (see Appendices C and D). Family
advocacy groups have increasingly coalesced across the United
States and abroad, including the National Organization on
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), which recently gathered
an FASD Congressional Caucus (see www.nofas.org). In the
last 10 years, increasing cooperation on many other levels has
boosted progress on the public health problem of FASDs. In
2000, Congress mandated creation of the National Task Force
on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect with participation from governmental agencies and research funding
bodies, professional organizations, family advocacy groups,
and experts in the field of FASDs, with Task Force activities
open to public comment (sunset for the Task Force occurred
in 2007; see Appendix B). In 2001, SAMHSAs FASD Center
for Excellence was created with multiple initiatives, and with
impetus from the public, has fortunately been refunded
by SAMHSA (see Appendix E). In 1996, the Interagency
Coordinating Committee on FAS (ICCFAS) was created,

with participation by decision-makers in the many service

systems affected by FASDs (see Appendix F). Experience has
shown that communication and cooperation in this field can
function well, inspire creativity, enhance efficiency, and drive
progress. Collaboration and integration in research, practice,
and public policy must continue.

What are the Next Steps?

Now is the time to build on earlier momentum and renew

efforts to meet the challenge of FASDs. This is a call to action.
Without continued momentum, public will could falter,
and the coordinated agency efforts, innovative research, and
family-professional partnerships that have been created in the
past decade could break down. Dismantling these efforts and
starting over is highly inefficient and impractical. Instead,
the most efficient, logical, and hopeful course is to maintain
and strengthen what has already been set in place, is working
well, and simply needs to be expanded and made sustainable.
It is not only possible, but ethically imperative, that efforts
continue to significantly improve outcomes for individuals
with FASDs. These efforts can reduce the drain on emotional,
physical, and financial resources that have devastated too
many families and strained service delivery systems.

APPENDIX A
Action Steps for Recommendations of the National Task Force
on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect

1. Modify eligibility and diagnostic classification systems

to include FASDs, so as to recognize FASDs as
approved conditions under all federal disabilityrelated benefit programs.

Modify Medicaid and insurance coding policies to

appropriately fund screening, diagnosis, treatment, and
support services for individuals with FASDs.
Make the following changes to the Child Abuse &
Prevention Act (CAPTA) provision:
Add and prenatal alcohol exposure to the current
CAPTA provision that requires referral to early
intervention by social services and healthcare
providers of children born drug-exposed.
Expand the age of referral to Child Find and early
intervention services for children to up to age
five in the current CAPTA provision.
Amend the recently reauthorized Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004:
Include individuals with FASDs for eligibility
under Part C and Part B.
Include technical assistance related to identifying
children and youth with FASDs in Part D.
Work toward consensus on objective diagnostic criteria
for the full fetal alcohol spectrum.
Directly and fully respond to FASDs in the classification
systems of the widely-used psychiatric Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American
Psychiatric Association, 1994; now under revision), and
the medical International Code for Diseases (ICD-10)
(World Health Organization, 2005).

2. Improve diagnostic access by setting up screening

systems for FASDs and increasing professional

multidisciplinary diagnostic capacity in communities.
Require that critical systems with points of entry and
exit set up effective strategies for screening, referral and
treatment planning.1
Ensure local access to screening by requiring training
on awareness of FASDs for providers in systems where
screening takes place.
Promote regional access to appropriate multidisciplinary
diagnostic and treatment services that reduce drive-time
and waiting lists for families, including (when feasible
and efficient) specialized FASD diagnostic clinics.
Ensure that efforts toward FASD prevention, substance
use education, and referral for chemical dependency
treatment are included in FASD diagnostic services.

3. Intensify research initiatives and interagency

coordination to:
Delineate the full fetal alcohol spectrum, including
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial FAS, and alcoholrelated neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND).
Work toward consensus on objective diagnostic criteria
for the full fetal alcohol spectrum.
Continue study of alcohol mechanisms and the impact
of intervention using animal models.
Improve understanding of the mechanisms of alcohols
action on the brain through neuroimaging and basic
science studies.
Enhance prevention and early detection through
research to identify maternal and fetal biomarkers.
Improve understanding of neuroprotective factors.
Study the long-term, natural developmental course of
individuals with FASDs.
Identify and test useful instructional methods for
individuals with FASDs.
Create and establish the efficacy of intervention
approaches for individuals with FASDs and their
caregivers (including behavioral, psychopharmacology,
and combined treatments).
Translate effective identification, diagnosis, and
intervention strategies to community settings.
Improve the quality and utilization of interventions in
all services systems for those with FASDs.

4. Promote a comprehensive and accessible continuum

of care for families raising infants, children and

adolescents with FASDs.
Require updated education and training for healthcare,
mental health providers, early interventionists,
and educators on: FASDs; the family perspective;
identification, referral and effective intervention; and
how to emphasize functional life skills.
Promote caregiver stress reduction through increased
access to flexible respite care services.
Establish a continuum of scientifically tested or
promising interventions, specialized for FASDs, that
can address the full range of severity of family needs
and child/adolescent problems:

Critical systems with points of entry and exit that need to set up effective strategies for screening,
referral and treatment planning: newborn screening, early periodic screening, diagnosis and
treatment (EPSDT), early intervention, child welfare and foster care, special education, family
court proceedings, juvenile and criminal justice, WIC programs, inpatient psychiatric care, and
chemical dependency treatment.
1

 For example: Parent-to-parent support, parenting

groups, child groups, social skills training, teen
groups and retreats, summer camps, ongoing
individualized behavioral and/or learning readiness
consultation services for families with children
at high risk, parent-child assistance programs for
women with chemical dependency problems,
direct child treatments (e.g., computer training,
self-regulation techniques), special instructional
programming and school behavior plans.

5. Promote a comprehensive and accessible continuum

of care for youth, adults and older individuals

with FASDs.

Modify eligibility for existing vocational and supported

living/housing services to include individuals with
FASDs (which may include altering current IQ and
functional level requirements).
Promote creation of strength-based programs that
include protective oversight as well as gradual,
supported progressive skill-building (e.g., mentoring
programs, supported living).
Develop and use appropriate alternative strategies
within juvenile justice systems and corrections
programs to ensure safety and effective diversion or
rehabilitation of individuals with FASDs.
Recognize that FASDs can be a transgenerational
problemwith affected individuals becoming involved
in substance use and sexual activity, and so at risk
for (or having) affected children. Because of this,
promote specialized, intensive FASD prevention,
chemical dependency treatment, and parenting support
programs for youth and adults with FASDs.

8. Recognize grassroots family support and advocacy

FASDs, and assessment of knowledge gained, within

multiple service systems.2

Provide technical assistance on FASDs through

specialized regional training centers and federal
technical assistance systems.
Include information on FASDs in pre-service
training, board examinations, licensing mechanisms,
and continuing education for providers in
multiple service systems.

Use existing FASD organizations to educate and

monitor policy. Possible actions: host U.S. House
and Senate briefings; sponsor FASD Education Days;
conduct personal meetings with legislators.
Disseminate state-of-the-art research and policy
changes through existing databases and websites.
Maintain the FASD Caucus in the U.S. Senate,
promoting and monitoring membership.
Maintain the organized birth mother/family movement
to promote FASD prevention and support for recovery
from addiction.
Maintain an organized effort to continue
communication to family groups and coalitions
about gains from FASD prevention, diagnosis and
treatment, and remaining prevention, diagnostic,
and treatment needs.

9. Improve ongoing national surveillance systems to

identify individuals with FASDs to better track

prevalence, provide needed intervention, and assess
the impact of prevention programs.

Increase the number of states carrying out surveillance

of FAS and partial FAS, especially: effective, active
surveillance, and incorporating FAS/PFAS into existing
birth defects surveillance systems.
When identification methods become available,
increase the number of states carrying out
effective, active surveillance of alcohol-related
neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND).

10. Maintain a national forum in which parents,

advocates, professional organizations, and experts

in the field of FASDs can work to advance essential
services and research for individuals with FASDs
and their families.

7. Enhance strong, collaborative, interagency leadership

at state and national levels (that includes parent

representation) to inform legislators, policymakers,
and the public.

Maintain high-level interagency coordination activities,

such as those of the Interagency Coordinating
Committee for FAS (ICCFAS).

organizations focused on FASDs, which are powerful

and efficient agents of change.

6. Encourage comprehensive professional education on

Promote coordinated state systems to respond to

FASDs, including appointing state-level FASD
coordinators following the lead of SAMHSA initiatives.
Establish or maintain a lead federal agency to promote
field-initiated and translational research and facilitate
comprehensive systems of care over the lifespan.

Target service systems in need of comprehensive professional education on FASDs, and assessment
of knowledge gained: health care (obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine, family
practice, nursing), allied professions (occupational therapy, speech-language pathology), mental
health (e.g., psychiatry, psychology, social work, counseling), early intervention, regular and
special education, child welfare, developmental disabilities, vocational services, juvenile justice and
corrections, and chemical dependency treatment.
2

APPENDIX B
Accomplishments of the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
and Fetal Alcohol Effect
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Task Force outlined a national agenda for FAS and
other prenatal alcohol-related conditions in a 2002
MMWR Recommendations and Reports publication,
National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal
Alcohol Effect: Defining a National Agenda for Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome and Other Prenatal Alcohol Related
Disorders (MMWR, 2002).
Several Task Force members participated on the Scientific
Working Group (SWG) on Diagnostic Guidelines for
FAS and ARND Meeting in July 2002, provided input
in various SWG committees, and deliberated on and
BACKGROUND
approved Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Guidelines on Referral
and Diagnosis (Bertrand, et al., 2004).
In 1998, the U.S. Congress recognized the significance of a
Recommendations were sent to the Office of Education
coordinated effort to address the concerns related to FAS and
to include FAS in the reauthorization of the Individuals
fetal alcohol effects (FAE). The Secretary of the U.S. Department
with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) of 2004.
of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was directed through
In 2004, the Task Force endorsed the consensus
the Public Health Service Act, Section 399G (42 U.S.C. Section
definition of the term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
280f, as added by Public Law 105-392) to establish a National
(FASDs) developed through an expert panel convened by
Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect
the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
(the Task Force) that would: (1) foster coordination among all
In 2005, the Task Force supported efforts to bring
governmental agencies, academic bodies, and community groups
FASDs to the attention of the American Psychiatric
that conduct or support FAS and FAE research, programs, and
Association in its deliberations on the 5th Edition of the
surveillance; and (2) otherwise meet the needs of populations
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
impacted by FAS and FAE. On May 17, 2000, in accordance
Task Force recommended an updated release of the
with Public Law 92-463, the Task Force was chartered. Authority
Surgeon Generals advisory on alcohol and pregnancy
to establish the Task Force was delegated to CDCs National
in 2001. This request was reviewed and approved by the
Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Task Force and received key federal agency support. The
(NCBDDD). NCBDDDs Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Prevention
Surgeon Generals Advisory on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy
Team was assigned primary responsibility for establishing the Task
was released in 2005 (Office of the Surgeon General,
Force and managing its operations. The Task Force function, as
2005). Task Force and liaison members, along with
outlined in its charter (DHHS, 2000), is to:
various federal agencies, were also involved in activities
Advise persons involved in federal, state, and local programs

to disseminate the Advisory.
and research activities of FAS and FAE regarding such topics as
FAS awareness and education for relevant service providers and A Call to Action: Advancing Essential Services and Research
on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders was developed and
the general public (including school-aged children and women
approved by the Task Force in 2007. This document
at risk), medical diagnosis for FAS and FAE, prevention and
emphasizes the importance of early identification,
intervention strategies for women at risk, and essential services
diagnostic services, and quality research on interventions
for affected persons and their families;
for individuals with FASDs and their families.
Coordinate its efforts with the DHHS Interagency
Recommendations on continuing and enhancing these
Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
kinds of activities are outlined.
(ICCFAS); and

Report, on a biennial basis, to the DHHS Secretary and

relevant committees of Congress on the current and planned
activities of the participating agencies.

Reducing Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancies: A Report of

the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
and Fetal Alcohol Effect was developed and approved
by the Task Force in 2007. This report reviews
current evidence on prevention strategies to reduce
alcohol use and alcohol-exposed pregnancies, provides
recommendations on promoting and improving these
strategies, and offers future research directions in the
field of FASD prevention.

For more information, see National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol
Effect web site. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/taskforce.htm
REFERENCES
Bertrand J, Floyd RL, Weber MK, OConnor M, Riley EP, Johnson KA, Cohen DE, NTFFAS/E.
(2004). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Guidelines for Referral and Diagnosis. Atlanta, GA: Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
______________________________________________
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
and Fetal Alcohol Effect --- Defining the national agenda for fetal alcohol syndrome and other
prenatal alcohol-related effects (2002). MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Recommendations and Report: 51(RR14):9-12.
______________________________________________
Department of Health & Human Services. (2000). Charter: National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect. Rockville, MD: US DHHS, Office of the Secretary,p. 1-3.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/charter.htm.
______________________________________________
Office of the Surgeon General. (2005). Surgeon Generals Advisory on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/documents/Released%20Advisory.pdf

10

APPENDIX C
Overview of the Strategic Research Plan on FASDs from
the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
OVERVIEW
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA) is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers which
comprise the National Institutes of Health, The Nations
Medical Research Agency, a component of the U. S.
Department of Health and Human Services. The NIAAA
is the primary U.S. agency for conducting and supporting
research on the causes, consequences, prevention, and
treatment of alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and alcohol
problems and the NIAAA disseminates research findings
to general, professional, and academic audiences.
The NIAAA mission is to provide leadership in the national
effort to reduce alcohol-related problems by:
Conducting and supporting research in a wide range
of scientific areas including genetics, neuroscience,
epidemiology, health risks and benefits of alcohol
consumption, prevention, and treatment
Coordinating and collaborating with other research
institutes and Federal Programs on alcohol-related issues
Collaborating with international, national, state, and
local institutions, organizations, agencies, and programs
engaged in alcohol-related work
Translating and disseminating research findings to health
care providers, researchers, policymakers, and the public
The NIAAAs efforts to fulfill its mission are guided by the
Directors Vision to support and promote the best science
on alcohol and health for the benefit of all by:

Increasing the understanding of normal and abnormal

biological functions and behavior relating to alcohol use
Improving the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of
alcohol use disorders
Enhancing quality health care

Since the initial U.S. discovery of the detrimental effects of

prenatal alcohol exposure, a substantial portion of the NIAAA
research budget has been dedicated each year to research on
FASD-related issues. The NIAAA research portfolio includes
projects whose goals are prevention of drinking during
pregnancy, increased understanding of the etiology of alcoholattributable fetal injury, better diagnosis of FASD, and
development of interventions to reduce the effects of prenatal
alcohol exposure, mitigate the consequences of alcoholinduced injury, and improve the quality of life for persons
with FASD. Furthermore, the NIAAA research portfolio
on prevention of alcohol use disorders supports prevention
research studies specifically aimed at reduction of drinking
by both non-pregnant and pregnant women of childbearing
age. The NIAAA supports the activities of the Interagency
Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
(ICCFAS) and collaborates with many other federal agencies
whose missions and/or program interests include FASD. In
addition to conducting and supporting FASD-related research
the NIAAA also regularly produces publications summarizing
research results, clinical guidelines, and educational materials
relevant to FASD. Check the NIAAA Web site for the most
recent version of the NIAAA Strategic Plan, more details
about the FASD research program, and currently available
publications: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
For more information, see:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA). (2006, July).
NIAAA: Five-year strategic plan (FY 07-11): Alcohol
across the lifespan. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/
StrategicPlan/NIAAASTRATEGICPLAN.htm
See also the link to research aims specifically for study
of FAS and prenatal alcohol exposure, as it applies
to health disparities:
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/AboutNIAAA/
OrganizationalInformation/HealthDisparities2005.htm

11

APPENDIX D
Activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Prevention Team
Prevention Research Branch
Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
National Center on Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilities
MISSION
The mission of the Centers for Disease Control and
Preventions (CDC) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Prevention Team is to prevent FAS and other prenatal
alcohol-related conditions and ameliorate these conditions
in children already affected.
BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW
CDC has been involved in FAS-related activities since 1991.
The FAS Prevention Team resides in the National Center
on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Division
of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, at CDC.
Recently, the FAS Prevention Team became part of the
Prevention Research Branch, one of three branches within
the division. The FAS Prevention Team currently funds a
total of 26 cooperative agreements in 18 states, as well as 3
international projects. Some of these cooperative agreements
also reach out to additional states.
FAS PREVENTION TEAM EFFORTS
The FAS Prevention Team works to develop systems to
monitor exposures and outcomes; to conduct epidemiologic
studies and public health research to identify maternal risk
factors associated with giving birth to a child with FAS or
another prenatal alcohol-related condition, known collectively
as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs); and to implement
and evaluate prevention and intervention programs.

12

Current activities include:

Prevention efforts
Implementing state-based FASD prevention projects
Conducting intervention research for preventing
alcohol-exposed pregnancies
Identifying alcohol-exposed pregnancies through
biomarkers
Monitoring efforts
Tracking alcohol use among childbearing
aged women
Establishing and guiding the implementation of
surveillance systems for the prevalence of FAS
through state-based projects
Assessing health care providers knowledge, attitudes,
and practices regarding screening for alcohol
use, provision of brief interventions, and care of
individuals with FASDs
Interventions for children with FASDs
Implementing tested intervention strategies for
children living with FASDs in community-based
settings
Education efforts
Supporting FASD Regional Training Centers for
medical and allied health students and practitioners
Developing screening and intervention tools for
womens health care providers
Responding to public inquiries and disseminate
educational materials to various audiences
International efforts in South Africa, Denmark, and Russia
Partner engagement
Coordinating the National Task Force on Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect
Promoting various collaborations with internal and
external partners

Recent Accomplishments
Developing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Guidelines for Referral
and Diagnosis in 2004.
Participation in implementing the 2005 U.S. Surgeon
Generals Advisory on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy, in
collaboration with the National Task Force on Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect, relevant
federal agencies, and other partners.
Developing and disseminating of a tool kit for womens
health care providers, in partnership with the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in 2006.
This tool kit helps providers screen female patients for
risky drinking and deliver brief interventions for those at
risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy.
Completing Project CHOICES (2007), which found
that women who received brief motivational counseling
sessions were twice as likely to reduce their risk for
an alcohol-exposed pregnancy as women who did
not receive the counseling. Risk was reduced either
by decreasing alcohol use, by using more effective
contraception, or both.
Developing systematic, specific, and scientifically
evaluated interventions for children with FASDs
currently underway.

Future Directions
Exploring the feasibility of establishing ongoing FAS
surveillance as part of the National Birth Defects
Prevention Network and the Metropolitan Atlanta
Congenital Defects Program.
Promoting continued dialogue with the FASD field
regarding diagnostic criteria for prenatal alcohol-related
conditions other than FAS.
Continuing to monitor alcohol consumption rates
among women of childbearing age.
Conducting epidemiological studies to identify other risk
factors commonly found in combination with the risk for
an alcohol-exposed pregnancy.
Exploring the effect of multiple-risk factor interventions
on reducing alcohol-exposed pregnancies.
Conducting further testing of the Project Choices
intervention model targeting women in diverse,
population-based settings not previously studied (e.g.,
American Indian/Alaska Native populations, worksite
programs, health insurance agencies)
Packaging and disseminating the Project CHOICES
intervention for various public health and social
service audiences.
Expanding the translation of CDCs model programs for
intervening with children with FASDs and their families.
Continuing to support provider education regarding the
recognition of FASDs and the identification of women at
risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy.
Continuing to inform consumers, health providers, and
other groups about FASDs and the risks of drinking
alcohol during pregnancy.
To learn more about FASDs and CDCs FASD program
activities, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/ or http://
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/cdcactivities.htm.

13

APPENDIX E
Overview of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administrations FASD Center for Excellence

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the FASD Center for Excellence is to facilitate
the development and improvement of prevention, treatment,
and care systems in the United States by providing national
leadership and facilitating collaboration in the field.
Vision of the FASD Center

1. Reduce the number of infants born prenatally

exposed to alcohol.

2. Increase functioning of persons who have an FASD.

3. Improve quality of life for individuals and families
affected by FASD.

Goals of the FASD Center

1. Facilitate the development of FASD prevention,

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA), United States Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the lead Federal
agency addressing substance abuse and mental health services.
SAMHSAs mission is to build resilience and facilitate
recovery for people with or at risk for substance abuse and
mental illness. SAMHSA was established as a services agency
in 1992, though its predecessors have existed within the
Public Health Service since 1930.
The SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence was launched
in 2001. Congress authorized the Center in Section 519D
of the Childrens Health Act of 2000, which included six
mandates (Section b of 42 USC 290bb-25d or Public Law
106-310). The mandates focus on exploring innovative service
delivery strategies, developing comprehensive systems of care
for FASD prevention and treatment, training service system
staff, families, and individuals with an FASD, and preventing
alcohol use among women of childbearing age.

14

treatment, and care as a specialty field.

2. Facilitate the development of FASD prevention,

treatment, and care systems at the State and

community level.

For more information, see: http://www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov/

APPENDIX F
Information about the Interagency Coordinating Committee
on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome (ICCFAS) was created in October
of 1996, in response to a report by an expert committee
of the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM report is
entitled Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Diagnosis, Epidemiology,
Prevention, and Treatment (Stratton et al., 1996). The report
recommended that the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism (NIAAA) chair a federal effort to coordinate
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) activities, because the
responsibility for addressing the many issues relevant to FAS
transcends the mission and resources of any single agency or
program. The ICCFAS is chaired by a member of the Senior
Staff of the NIAAA.
The mission of the ICCFAS is to enhance and increase
communication, cooperation, collaboration, and partnerships
among disciplines and federal agencies to address health,
education, developmental disabilities, alcohol research, and
health and social services and justice issues that are relevant
to disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. The themes
around which the ICCFAS bases the foundation of its current
work are: (1) prevention of drinking during pregnancy; (2)
intervening with children and families affected by prenatal
alcohol exposure; (3) improving methods for diagnosis and
case identification; (4) increasing research on etiology and
pathogenesis; and (5) increasing information dissemination.
The vision of ICCFAS is that collaborative partnerships,
using the resources of governmental and other organizations,
will reduce the prevalence of individuals affected by prenatal
exposure to alcohol, provide appropriate interventions and
support to persons affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
(FASD) and their families, and build sustainable approaches
within existing systems to properly address the disorders.
Communication, collaboration, and cooperation are fostered
and promoted among ICCFAS members through meetings,
informal discussions, and the overall exchange of ideas and
updates of new findings and activities in conversations and
electronic missives. Strategies on how activities in different
agencies can complement each other and how synergy can be
achieved are the primary focus of these exchanges. Leveraging
the work of member organizations through more collaborative
and cooperative activities is a key strategy. The concept of
distributed leadership is used to increase cooperation and
collaboration within the ICCFAS agencies on projects of
mutual interest.

The ICCFAS increases communication among participating

organizations via shared meetings, workshops, planning
sessions, and formal information exchanging sessions.
Collaboration has been increased by co-sponsorship of
conferences, research programs, observational studies, and
outreach activities. Cooperation has been increased by
representatives from ICCFAS member agencies providing
service to each other as speakers at conferences, meetings, and
workshops and in writing articles for newsletters sponsored
by other participating organizations. Furthermore, ICCFAS
members provide assistance as advisors and consultants
to fellow members and their agencies. These advisory and
consultant roles have been in the form of service on formal
advisory committees, help with preparation of program
announcements and requests for applications, review of
proposals, and assistance in launching outreach programs.
The membership of the ICCAFS is dynamic, changing
as federal agencies emphasize different aspects of their
missions. The FY2007 membership of the ICCFAS included
representatives from the following organizations:
______________________________________________

Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Juvenile Justice

and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
Department of Education (ED), Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Agency for Heathcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Indian Health Service (IHS)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA)
National Institutes of Health (NIH):

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

National Institute of Child Health
and Human Development (NICHD)
______________________________________________

15

The member organizations have diverse missions and unique

strengths. Some generate new knowledge through research
funding. Other agencies fund translational research that
feeds back to promote basic research. Others promote and
assist in the development and improvement of health care
delivery services by states and community organizations.
One of the guiding principles of the ICCFAS has been to
use the diverse missions, strengths, and resources of the
various member organizations to advance the effectiveness
of the federal response to alcohol-related birth defects. The
ICCFAS implements its policy of shared leadership through
use of subcommittees and working groups led by different
agencies to help set direction and apprise the ICCFAS of new
opportunities for action in specific areas.

The ICCFAS Work Groups (subcommittees) address special

issues and implementation of planned activities. Work Groups
allow the membership of the ICCFAS to work with a lead
agency and some outside experts to plan and develop actions
on a specific issue. The Work Groups are usually composed
of several members of the ICCFAS and/other representatives
from member federal agencies, and six or seven individuals
who are knowledgeable about FASD but are not part of the
U.S. government. A broad perspective and balance on the
ICCFAS Work Groups is assured by including biomedical
researchers, physicians and other service providers, educators,
FASD advocates, and other interested and knowledgeable
persons. In FY2007 there were three ICCFAS Work Groups:
ICCFAS Work Group on Women, Drinking, and Pregnancy;
ICCFAS Work Group on Juvenile Justice Issues; and the
ICCFAS Education Work Group.
Check the ICCFAS web page at the NIAAA website for
information on current membership, links to members
websites, current activities, meeting summaries, resource
materials, proceedings of conferences, and progress reports.
For more information, see:
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/AboutNIAAA/InterAgency/

16

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Adnams, C.M., Sorour, P., Kalberg, W.O., Kodituwakku, P.,
Perold, M.D., et al. (2007). Language and literacy outcomes
from a pilot intervention study for children with fetal alcohol
spectrum disorders in South Africa. Alcohol, 41(6), 403-414.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2004). Alcohol

consumption among women who are pregnant or might
become pregnantUnited States, 2002. MMRW Morbidity
& Mortality Weekly Report, 53(50), 1178-1181.

Alcohol Research & Health. (2000). Highlights from the 10th

Special Report to Congress. Chapter on Prenatal exposure to
alcohol. Alcohol Research & Health, 24(1), 32-41.

Chang, G., McNamara, Orav, E.J. (2005). Brief intervention

for prenatal alcohol use: A randomized trial. Obstetrics &
Gynecology, 105, 991-998.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2000). Committee

on Substance Abuse and Committee on Children with
Disabilities. Fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol-related
neurodevelopmental disorders. Pediatrics, 106, 358-361.

Chudley, A.E., Conry, J., Cook, J.L., Loock, C., Rsales,

T., & LeBlanc, N. Public Health Agency of Canadas
National Advisory Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder. (2005). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Canadian
guidelines for diagnosis. Canadian Medicine Journal, 172(5
Suppl), S1-S21.

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WEBSITES

Alaska Office of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

http://www.hss.state.ak.us/fas/default.htm
Accessed 4/15/08.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group (FASDSG)
FASDSG home page: http://rsoa.org/fas.html.
Accessed 4/15/08.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Regional Training Centers
Meharry Medical College (Nashville, TN); Morehouse School
of Medicine (Atlanta, GA); University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey (Newark, NJ); St. Louis University
School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO); University of California
at Los Angeles School of Medicine (Los Angeles, CA).
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/regional.htm
Accessed 4/15/08.
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS)
Home page: http://www.nofas.org/default.aspx
Clearinghouse information: http://www.nofas.org/resource/
default.aspx
Congressional caucus on FASDs: http://www.house.gov/
pallone/fasd_caucus/welcome.shtml
Accessed 4/15/08.
SAMHSAs FASD Center for Excellence
http://fasdcenter.samhsa.gov
Accessed 4/15/08.

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Suggested Citation:
Olson H.C., Ohlemiller M.M., OConnor M.J.,
Brown C.W., Morris C.A., Damus K., National
Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and
Fetal Alcohol Effect. A call to action: Advancing
Essential Services and Research on Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders A report of the National
Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal
Alcohol Effect, March 2009.

For more information about fetal alcohol

spectrum disorders, go to
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas.

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