# Presentation: 429010

## SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence 

- Field Trainers Update
- December 1, 2005
- Callie Gass, Project Director

## Overview

- Subcontracts
- Publications and Products
- American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Initiative
- Curriculum Development
- Meetings
- Ongoing Activities

**Notes:**
The Center completed its annual report in October, which summarizes our accomplishments.  This presentation will cover the highlights.

## Subcontract Locations

**Notes:**
The Center is exploring ways to integrate FASD into existing systems of care.  As part of this effort, the Center has subcontracts with 20 community-based projects, 10 State projects, and 5 juvenile court projects.   

The subcontracts were funded for an initial planning year and have submitted needs assessments, strategic plans, evaluation plans, and final reports.  

Most have had their first implementation year approved and are working on project implementation.  Funding may be available for an additional 3 implementation years.  A goal of the projects is to find ways to sustain them after Federal funding ends.  

Several subcontractors have requested training through the Center, including the State of New York, Ventura County, Park Ridge Hospital, State of Montana, University of South Alabama, and Lassen County.

The Center provided training to treatment subcontractors on screening. 

## Community Subcontractors

- ARC Community Services, Inc., Madison, WI
- Baltimore City Healthy Start, Inc., Baltimore, MD
- Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation, Dillingham, AK
- Bucks County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., Doylestown, PA
- Capital Area Human Services District, Baton Rouge, LA
- Children’s Research Triangle, Chicago, IL
- Double ARC, Toledo, OH
- Institute for Health and Recovery, Cambridge, MA
- Lassen County Health and Social Services Department, Susanville, CA
- Mission Hospitals, Inc., Asheville, NC

- Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, Portland, OR
- New Frontier Treatment Center, Fallon, NV
- Peer Assistance Services, Inc., Denver, CO
- Serving Children and Adolescents in Need, Inc., Laredo, TX
- Sinnissippi Centers, Inc., Dixon, IL
- The Children's Home of Wheeling, Inc., Wheeling, WV
- Unity Health System Park Ridge Hospital, Rochester, NY
- University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

**Notes:**
Community subcontractors.

## State Subcontractors

- Hawaii State Department of Health
- Maine Office of Substance Abuse
- Mississippi Department of Mental Health
- Montana Department of Public Health and Human Service
- New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services

- Ohio Department of Alcohol and DrugAddiction Services
- South Dakota Department of Human Services
- Texas Office for Prevention of   Developmental Disabilities
- University of South Alabama
- Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services

**Notes:**
State subcontractors.

## Juvenile Court Subcontractors

- Department of Community Corrections, Hennepin County, Minnesota
- Ventura County Superior Court, California
- Colorado State Judicial Branch
- 17th Judicial District, Colorado Judicial Branch
- Skagit County Department of Youth and Family Services, Washington

**Notes:**
Juvenile court subcontractors.

The Center convened an expert panel on screening and diagnosis and conducted the screening training in November, focusing on screening tools to use for their projects.  The training also included local community and State subcontractors focused on treatment.

## Publications and Products

**Notes:**
The Center continues to develop public education materials.  New products include a CD of FASD – The Basics, which is now available on the Web in three formats.  The CD will soon be available from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.  The Center also posted a report on its pilot summer programs for individuals and families affected by FASD.  In addition, the Center’s fact sheets on independent living and getting a diagnosis have been cleared for print and are available from NCADI.  The Center also has a new brochure available through the Center and NCADI.

The Center received notification that the American Journal of Public Health will publish “Sobering Thoughts:  The Town Hall Meetings on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders” next year.

## American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Initiative

- Hold two regional “BFSS-type” meetings.
- Provide culturally appropriate targeted Web-based materials.
- Develop training and other materials.
- Convene two institutes.
- Identify promising practices.

- Support the development of women’s summits in Indian Country.

**Notes:**
The initiative has been broadened in scope to include Native Hawaiians.  The Stakeholders Group met in October to review planned activities for the FASD Center to pursue with Native populations.  The Center is moving forward with plans to develop a package of educational materials targeting Native populations.  The package will include fact sheets, brochures, and other helpful items.  The Center also is developing Web pages with resources and information, including a template of a poster that communities can adapt for their population.

The Center has identified two organizations to assist with women’s summits and is reviewing their proposals.  The Center also plans to convene two regional meetings and training institutes.

## FASD Curriculum for Addiction Professionals

- Two levels
- Level 1:  Knowledge based
- Level 2:  Skills based
- Parallels CDC curriculum for medical professionals

**Notes:**
Based on the findings of an expert panel, the Center has revised the curriculum goals and objectives.  Content development began recently, with drafts of the first three competencies completed and undergoing review.  

Topics addressed in the curriculum include history of FASD, terminology and prevalence, effects of alcohol on the developing embryo and fetus, comparative effects of alcohol versus other substances, diagnostic criteria, ways to obtain a diagnosis, strategies for working with persons with an FASD, FASD prevention, continuing care services for individuals and families affected by FASD, legal issues, and professional ethics and values.  

The plan is to have level 1 online and level 2 as a live training with exercises, demos, role plays, and other hands-on practice.

## Tools for Success Curriculum

- Follow-on to NIAAA-funded Tools for Success resource guide
- Targeted to professionals in the juvenile justice system
- Pilot tested summer 2005

**Notes:**
The full title of the curriculum is “Tools for Success:  Working With Youth With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System.” Tools for Success is for professionals working in or with the juvenile justice system, such as attorneys, judges, and social workers.  Topics include basics of FASD, FASD in the juvenile justice system, juvenile justice system response to FASD, options for case disposition, special education and behavior management, and transition and aftercare.  

The Center held four pilot tests in July and August and is analyzing findings and incorporating changes into the final curriculum.  A training of trainers is planned for next year.

## Meetings

- Building FASD State Systems
- Developed State plans
- Developed concept for ideal comprehensive system of care for FASD
- Hope for Women in Recovery summit
- Brought together more than 100 women in treatment and their counselors
- Set the stage for FASD efforts in North Carolina

## Ongoing Activities

- Training and technical assistance
- More than 250 trainings since inception
- Almost 13,000 participants
- Information Resource Center
- Web site (fascenter.samhsa.gov)
- Toll-free line (1-866-STOPFAS)
- Data collection

**Notes:**
Training and TA are major activities of the FASD Center.  The Center has conducted training in nearly every State, the District of Columbia, Canada, England, Scotland, and Japan.  The Center has opened a new venue for training by coordinating with the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers to include FASD training and presentations in their programs.  The FASD Center was on the agenda for the June ATTC Directors Meeting.  The Center offers training on more than 25 topics. 

The Center provides various types of TA to students, parents, professionals, and State agency staff.  Many TA requests have been for information on various topics, including where to find support for individuals and families affected by FASD, general information on FASD, how to set up a community training on FASD, and how to best care for individuals with an FASD.  Additional TA has included assistance in developing a residential treatment program for individuals with an FASD, a training module on FASD and the use of Positive Behavioral Support, State plans to address FASD, and an evaluation plan for a summer camp and using screening tools for a Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment initiative in an obstetric hospital.

Several FASD Center community and State subcontractors have requested training from the Center on FASD, screening and diagnosis, and ways to educate health care providers in the community about FASD.  The Center has also provided TA on developing strategic plans.

## Data Collection Findings

- 89 animal studies
- 98 studies involving humans
- 8 studies with unclear subjects from the abstract
- 157 projects involving basic science
- 38 projects involving prevention and intervention

**Notes:**
As of October 17, 2005, the FASD Center had identified 195 current or recently closed programs or studies, an increase of 17 since the last report.  

Of these, 89 were animal studies, 98 involved humans, and 8 were unclear from the abstract.  

Most projects (157) involve basic science; 38 involve prevention and intervention.  No prevention or intervention projects were funded before 1997.

## Data Collection Findings

- 61 FASD-related bills introduced since 2003
- Distributed across 25 States
- 30 introduced or passed in 2005
- Most (37) related to prevention and intervention

**Notes:**
Bills fall into four categories:

General FASD Information, including definitions and birth registries (8 bills)
Legal Affairs, including evidence constituting neglect, relinquishment of care of an infant, and removal of a child (11 bills)
Prevention and Intervention Services, including research, public information and awareness, treatment for women, and intervention with individuals with an FASD (37 bills) 
Requirements for Professionals, including teacher certification, physician licensing, and reporting requirements (5 bills)

## FASD Center Evaluation

- Number of States With Positive Changes in FASD Service Delivery
- Infrastructure indicators, 19
- Reporting guidelines indicators, 22
- Service delivery and planning indicators, 26
- Prevention communication and advocacy indicators, 19
- Any capacity indicators, 41

**Notes:**
During year 4, the Center’s evaluators analyzed data for 2003-2004.  They found that 41 States had experienced positive changes in FASD service delivery, largely as a result of BFSS meetings and related activities.

Of the 41 States that made positive changes in any FASD service delivery capacity indicators:
10 States made one positive change
17 States made two positive changes
8 States made three positive changes
3 States made four positive changes
3 States made six positive changes—all were States with little or no service capacity that hosted Center-sponsored summits or workshops

## Upcoming Activities

- Tools for Success training of trainers
- Annual Building FASD State Systems and National Association of FASD State Coordinators meetings
- American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Initiative meetings and materials development

**Notes:**
American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Initiative meetings include women’s summits, regional or national meetings, and training institutes.  The Center is developing an educational materials package.

In addition, the Center plans to post FASD – The Course on the Web site by the end of the year.  All products on the Center’s product development plan have been initiated and should be available within the next 10 months.