As we move into Year Two, we have the opportunity to move deeper into all the objectives. The focus of year two will be implementation:
• The Diagnostic Consortium will train 6 new teams to provide diagnostic services to families across the state. Families will receive consistent information in the diagnostic report form, and recommendations for intervention and follow-up services. More community-based primary care providers and educators will understand how and where to refer families for diagnosis. The latest information on research and best practices will be made available to the diagnostic network;
• Three regional resource specialists will be hired to provide ongoing community resources and referrals to families as well as education and training for parents and providers. Community-based programs will be offered;
• Public awareness activities about “no safe level” will get underway through multiple approaches to reach a wide range of people;
• Both current and future providers in the medical, social service, education and chemical dependency fields will have access to training on FASD in ways that are applicable to their field;
• Family support systems will be developed across the state to increase the family’s ability to connect to resources and information. Families need ongoing education and support to cope with the challenges of raising children affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol. MOFAS will develop “FASD friendly” resources throughout the state to help families find the services they need. Special attention will be given to the area of transition planning for individuals ages 14-21 who are affected.
MOFAS will continue to reach out to a wide variety of partners who have been involved in prevention, intervention and diagnostic work, as well as work hard to invite new players to the table. MOFAS acknowledges that this work needs to be conducted for the entire state of Minnesota, and that will only be accomplished by working with individual communities across the state. We highly value the input of parents and caregivers, community members, their cultural norms, and the strengths of each community as we address the challenges of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.