Area Board 1

In the Approved Goals and Objectives of the California 2007-2011 State Plan; the health objective HE3.2 states that by September 30, 2009 the Council will work collaboratively to launch a major statewide campaign to educate the public on the dangers of drinking while pregnant. In keeping with that goal, Area Board One has worked with other local agencies and individuals to develop slides and posters, such as the one posted on this website, that will appear in all County movie theatres with the message that educates the public about not drinking during pregnancy. We estimate that some 80,000 individuals will see these messages that will be shown before every movie is run. We are also pleased and proud of our local winery families for their strong support of our message.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are 100% preventable. Alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading known preventable cause of mental retardation and birth defects in the United States. The Effects of FASD can include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications.

Area Board One has also been active in assisting the State Council implement its goals in their health objective HE3.4 which states that by September 30, 2009, the Council will educate juvenile court judges, probation departments, mental health and social service agencies, educations, and regional centers in at least eight Counties on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), its prevention associated secondary disabilities, diagnostic information, local resources, interventions, and best practices. We have developed a Binder of materials that we are personally distributing to the above mentioned agencies and individuals and would be happy to share that information with others who wish to get the word out.

We are pleased and honored that our Governor feels this is an important concern as well. Please visit the September 9, 2007 Proclamation.

In addition to the unacceptable human impact on children being born with major and even hidden disabilities due to exposure to alcohol and other drugs during their gestational and neo-natal periods; a different but equally compelling reason exists to prevent disabilities such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders.

That reason is the impact of these lives and their lifelong costs for care and services that will impact the budget of the state of California for generations to come. In the report Perinatal Substance Use screening in California, written in 2008 the following statements are made:

In sum, although the data in this report are from a selected population of counties in California, the participating counties do represent a wide spectrum of demographic, economic, and social strata that are found across the state. Assuming that exposure rates remain constant over time, it is possible to project that among the 9,531,046 children under age 18 years in California (77), approximately 19%, or a little over 1.8 million children, have been exposed to alcohol or illicit drugs. Providing intervention and treatment to even a small proportion of these children through the mental health, education, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems can be a driving force in the escalating costs for children’s behavioral health services that are being documented across the state. In light of these costs, the need for prevention and earliest intervention becomes clear.

The need for prevention and intervention during pregnancy is further substantiated through a recent review of qualitative information compiled from 17 California counties that have Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) programs (78). When questioned about gaps in services and community resources, the FIMR counties mentioned substance use screening and referral as the most frequent deficit. Moreover, the most recent 2005 Title V Block Grant Needs Assessment by the state MCAH program showed that 29 county MCAH programs identified perinatal substance use as a priority. (79)

Perinatal Substance Use screening in California - 2008

So here is the big message: If we want to significantly reduce the annual and ongoing budget problems in California, then we must pay attention to PREVENTION and INTERVENTION services now.