The Next Five Years at MOFAS
In an era when the phrase “the only thing that is constant is change” has never had more meaning, it is challenging to lay out a five year direction for the work we will be accomplishing at MOFAS (MN Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome). However, the need to have a clear sense of direction has never been more imperative. Through a variety of board and staff sessions, MOFAS has begun to chart its course for the next several years. It is important to note that it is extremely crucial to keep our “eye on the prize” which is, to the point, our mission and vision. Therefore, how we achieve that mission must be approached with a clear sense of direction and an attitude of flexibility and creativity in approach.
How are we going to get where we need to go?
The mission of MOFAS is to eliminate disability caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy and to improve the quality of life for those living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) throughout Minnesota. The vision of MOFAS is a world in which women do not drink alcohol during pregnancy and people living with FASD are identified, supported and valued.
Since 1999 when MOFAS was chartered, and specifically since 2004 when MOFAS received the sole source grant from the MDH, the board and staff, as well as community stakeholders, have been working to deliver programs and services to the individuals and families living with FASD and to provide prevention messages through public awareness activities. These outcomes were being delivered at the same time new information was becoming available on the federal and even global level on the scope of disability caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol, and the scale of challenges that individuals with this disability faced. There has been need to do work on multiple levels to create both awareness and credibility while at the same time, delivering much needed services and support.
Through the legislation that was passed in 2004, MOFAS is to deliver prevention and intervention services for FASD in the areas of community grants, professional education, public awareness, diagnosis, and intervention and family support. Over the past five years, we have delivered programming with the guidance from the town hall meetings, community needs assessment that was conducted as part of the community grant process, outside evaluation consultants, input from MOFAS Board of Directors, state advisory committee members, task forces, and MOFAS staff members. We reviewed several studies on how to effectively reach this population including the “Taking a Closer Look”, produced by MDH in 2004. We have also maintained an agility to take advantage of opportunities for partnerships as they have arisen. An example of this is that five of the six community grants have integrated the launching of FASD Diagnostic Clinics into their work plans. Through MOFAS support and training with our diagnostic objective we were able to support the development of these clinics.
We will continue to deliver measurable outcomes for each of the areas listed in the 2004 legislation. Because we are constantly applying new insights we have learned from the development and implementation of this work, our strategic plan should reflect effective and outcome based activities.
We will accomplish this work by measuring our work on these milestones:
Milestone 1. Cultivate a large and consistent public acknowledgement that drinking while you are pregnant may cause permanent brain damage to the baby.
Milestone 2. Create clear, meaningful and effective pathways for families and individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
Milestone 3. Create a sustainable impact on FASD by diversifying MOFAS’s revenue base.
Stay tuned for more information on specific plans and strategies of how we will be making progress on these milestones. If you have more questions about the MOFAS strategic plan, feel free to call Sara Messelt at 612-618-4156.