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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, introduced bipartisan legislation that will increase public awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) through educational outreach and enhanced research. The legislation will also provide additional support services for families dealing with the disorder.
The New Jersey congressman, who also serves as the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), introduced the legislation with the Caucus' other Co-Chairman, U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN).
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are the leading known cause of mental retardation in the United States. Studies estimate that every year, over 40,000 babies are born with FASD, which is an incidence rate of one out of every 100 births. While there is no known cure, FASD is 100 percent preventable if a woman abstains from alcohol during pregnancy.
"With 1 in every 100 newborns suffering from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Congress must support additional outreach and education measures that will reduce these preventable disorders," Pallone said. "This bipartisan legislation will not only ensure that more women are informed about the negative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, but will also provide essential support to children who already suffer from FASD."
The Advancing FASD Research, Prevention and Services Act would provide ways to mitigate the prevalence of FASD by:
· Developing and implementing targeted state and community-based outreach programs;
· Improving coordination among federal agencies involved in establishing strategies to improve outcomes for individuals with FASD;
· Conducting and expanding FASD research in coordination with other federal agencies to identify the most promising avenues for diagnosis, intervention and prevention;
· Improving support services for individuals who are living with FASD and their families; and
· Strengthening educational outreach efforts with doctors, teachers, judges and others whose work puts them in contact with people with FASD, or with women who might be at risk of drinking during pregnancy.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than one in five women report drinking alcohol in the first trimester of pregnancy, one in 14 in the second trimester and one in 20 in the third trimester, even though there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy,
Individuals who suffer from FASD are often small at birth, develop slowly and can suffer from mental retardation or a low IQ. Oftentimes, those suffering from FASD have learning disabilities, show poor coordination, experience problems with memory and exhibit hyperactivity and behavioral problems.
While FASD occurs in all sections of the general population, research and medical studies show that there is a higher rate of incidence among Native Americans, adopted children from countries where alcohol is more prevalent, and in those areas characterized by low socioeconomic status.
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