FASD
California Advocacy Efforts
The Cost of FASD in California
According to the CDC, FASD impacts as many as 1 in 20 in the US. That’s 2.5x more than autism. The conservative estimated cost of FASD for California is:
$28,469,400,000
Download the CA FASD Fact Sheet to understand and share the impact.
FASD Special Education Bill
With the passage of SB1016, school teams and families will be able to provide an array of appropriate services and interventions addressing the challenges of this lifelong neurological condition.
With its passage, SB 1016 names FASD as a distinct condition for special education eligibility under the Other Health Impairment (OHi) category and will ensure that students with FASD will receive the special educational support and services they need.
FASD Now looks forward to working with the California Department of Education’s Special Education Division to implement the bill, including training of staff on FASD, providing guidance on screening and assessment tools and appropriate educational interventions, and providing consultation as implementation of the law proceeds.
FASD Now is also working to spotlight the current and potential role of more than a dozen other state agencies with FASO-related responsibilities related to SB1016 to promote greater interagency coordination
Building On Our
Success Webinar
FASD Now!, a California alliance, makes a case for the urgent need for CA interagency coordination to address Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Special guest commentary from Senator Anthony Portantino and Senator Dave Cortese.
Share your story
Parents and caregivers! Your stories matter to our advocacy efforts. Please share yours if you are in favor of:
- Acknowledgment of the disorder
- Educated professionals
- Appropriate healthcare
- Qualification for special education
- Automatic support of our adults
- Confidence in the future
- Statistics changes
Click the button below to email your story to the FASD Network of Southern California
A UNITED EFFORT
FASD NETWORK OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, with all of the FASD groups in California, formed a task force to gather and present information to the California Legislature.
The resulting position paper provided a detailed rationale of the need for training, diagnosis, and services related to FASD and the people it affects.
The legislature must recognize that FASD is a critical issue to California and that there is support for such a task force.
Timing for this effort coincided with the introduction of S.2879 – the Advancing FASD Research, Prevention, and Services Act. by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in November 2019.
Do you work with people with FASD in any of these fields?
We’re collecting signatures of professionals such as doctors, mental health providers, social workers, criminal justice professionals, and educators in supporting the creation of the task force.
Please consider adding your name to the legislative effort!