# Presentation: 438023

## Join the Partnership to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

**Join the ****Partnership to Prevent ****Fetal Alcohol Syndrome**

## Healthy People 2010

*Healthy People 2010* Focus Area 16 (Maternal, Infant, and Child Health), Objective 18:
- “Reduce the occurrence of fetal alcohol syndrome.”

**Notes:**
Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is on the national health agenda.
In 2001, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published Healthy People 2010, a set of health objectives for the nation that includes reducing the occurrence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD), the overarching goal of the Partnership to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

## Addressing the Problem:                      Partnership to Prevent FAS

- Three-year program sponsored by SAMHSA’s CSAP
- Unites communities in a national effort to preventFAS and ARBD in unborn children
- Involves vast partner network to reach audiences

**Notes:**
In 2001, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), a center within the HHS’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), began to lay the groundwork for the Partnership to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, a three-year program that unites communities in a national effort to prevent FAS and ARBD in unborn children.
The Partnership is based on CSAP’s recognition that prevention works best at the community level, through a network of local partners who understand the needs of specific areas.

## Audiences

- Women who are planning to get pregnant or are pregnant
- Women’s significant others—namely fathers, family members, friends, and peers

**Notes:**
The Partnership targets women who are light to moderate drinkers and who are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant.
The Partnership also aims to foster social support among the target audience’s significant others—namely fathers, family members, friends, and peers.

## Objectives

- Encourage women to avoid alcohol before and during pregnancy.
- Engage the support of significant others to ensure a healthy, alcohol-free pregnancy.
- Ask community members and health care providers to help get the word out and disseminate Partnership messages.

**Notes:**
The Partnership aims to: 
Encourage women to avoid alcohol before and during pregnancy.
Engage the support of significant others to ensure a healthy, alcohol-free pregnancy.
Ask community members and health care providers to help get the word out and disseminate Partnership messages.

## Partnership Development

- Develop local partnerships in four community sites(spring 2002)
- Assess partner needs.
- Spread the word about FAS and ARBD and the Partnership.
- Create a partner exchange (i.e., Web site).

**Notes:**
In Spring 2002, CSAP and a network of local partners will initially implement the program in four community sites in several different states and later share these models with the national public health community.  
In the local community sites, CSAP will work with the lead organizations to:
Assess partner needs.
Spread the word about FAS and ARBD and the Partnership.
Create a partner exchange (i.e., Web site).

## Develop local partnerships in four community sites(spring 2002) (cont’d)
Recruit partners.
Provide partner training and materials.
Promote the partners.

- Recruit partners.
- Provide partner training and materials.
- Promote the partners.

**Partnership Development *****(cont’d)***

**Notes:**
Recruit partners.
Provide partner training and materials.
Promote the partners.

## Partnership Development (cont’d.)

- Expand Partnership (fall 2002)
- Expand and enhance Partnership Web site.
- Provide additional training and materials for partner organizations.
- Coordinate media and outreach activities.
- Recruit national partners.

**Notes:**
The Partnership will be expanded in Fall 2002 to include national partner organizations.  For the national Partnership, CSAP will:
Expand and enhance the Partnership Web site.
Provide additional training and materials for partner organizations.
Coordinate media and outreach activities.
Recruit national partners.

## Identifying Local Leaders

- Leaders currently working with us:
- East Baton Rouge Parish, LA—Capital Area Human Services District
- Erie County, NY—Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
- Sumter County, SC—The Prevention Center (scada)
- Doña Ana County, NM—Ben Archer Health Center

**Notes:**
Currently, lead organizations have been identified in the following cities.
These organizations include: 
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA—Capital Area Human Services District.
Buffalo, NY—Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse.
Sumter County, SC—The Prevention Center (scada).
Doña Ana County, NM—Ben Archer Health Center.

## Recruiting Additional Partners

- Potential partners should:
- Represent a public, private, or not-for-profit organization.
- Contribute to promoting healthy behaviors in women in the community.
- Actively address concerns related to alcohol, women’s issues, maternal and child health, and families, including the roles of men.

**Notes:**
In identifying and recruiting additional partners, CSAP is looking for 
organizations that:
Represent a public, private, or not-for-profit organization.
Contribute to promoting healthy behaviors in women in the community.
Actively address concerns related to alcohol, women’s issues, maternal and child health, and families, including the roles of men.

## Recruiting Additional Partners (cont’d.)

- Potential partners should:
- Provide health education and other services to women in the community.
- Have no monetary or other potential conflicting relationships with the alcohol industry.

**Notes:**
Provide health education and other services to women in the community.
Have no monetary or other potential conflicting relationships with the alcohol industry.

## Engaging Partners

- Endorse the Partnership.
- Designate a point of contact within the organization.
- Distribute CSAP messages and materials.
- Promote networking and coordination in local communities.

**Notes:**
Through the Partnership, organizations will be asked to:
Endorse the Partnership.
Designate a point of contact within the organization.
Distribute CSAP messages and materials.
Promote networking and coordination in local communities.

## Engaging Partners (cont’d.)

- Add a link from the organization’s home page to the FAS Partnership Web site.
- Participate in local health fairs and other related activities.
- Share information with CSAP about the organization’s activities in support of the Partnership.

**Notes:**
Add a link from the organization’s home page to the FAS Partnership Web site.
Participate in local health fairs and other related activities.
Share information with CSAP about the organization’s activities in support of the Partnership.

## Power of Partnering

- Provides the organization with educational materials for women and significant others.
- Enhances the organization’s presence in the community and its networking opportunities with community members and other community organizations.
- Increases the organization’s credibility as a community leader regarding FAS and ARBD.

**Notes:**
The power of the Partnership to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:
Provides the organization with educational materials about preventing FAS to distribute to women and significant others.
Enhances the organization’s presence in the community and its networking opportunities with community members and other community organizations.
Increases the organization’s credibility as a community leader regarding FAS and ARBD.

## Power of Partnering (cont’d.)

- Provides the organization with local and national recognition for participating in CSAP’s initiative to prevent FAS and ARBD.
- Identifies best practices for FAS and ARBD prevention.
- Updates the organization on FAS research and successful outreach efforts.

**Notes:**
Provides the organization with local and national recognition for participating in CSAP’s initiative to prevent FAS and ARBD as their name will appear in press releases.
Identifies best practices for FAS and ARBD prevention for communities and organizations to adopt.
Updates the organization on FAS research and successful outreach efforts.

## Next Steps

- Contact Debby Cartwright, BCSW, Director of Prevention and Outreach at CAHSD at(225) 925-4093.
- Visit the Partnership Web site at: **http://prevention.samhsa.gov/faspartners/.**
- Complete a Partnership sign-up form.