Public awareness impacts people of all ages in the community.
Screening and diagnosing children with fetal alcohol syndrome is important to prevent secondary disabilities. A diagnosis of FAS for a child can result in additional services that can be helpful in teaching the child and in working with the family. The following legislative summary reflects the priorities established by the Governor's Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, convened in 1997 and co-chaired by Former First Lady Susan Carlson and Hennepin County Juvenile Court Judge Joan Lancaster. The task force felt that it was primarily important this year to establish an ongoing and broad-based public awareness campaign. That campaign will be launched in May 1998 using start-up funds previously appropriated by the Legislature and will be sustained by funding allocated this year.