Province Rolls Out 10 Year Plan For FASD

By 250 News

Tom Christensen, Minister of Children and Families,  and Minister of Education, Shirley Bond,  unveil  new  10 year strategy  on FASD

Prince George, B.C. - The Province has unveiled a ten year strategy to reduce the incidence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and to support the children and families who are already living with the disorder.

The ten year strategy unveiled in Prince George this morning, brings together nine provincial ministries and is the follow up to the initial program launched in 2003.

Children and Family Development Minister Tom Christensen isn‘t able to say how many children there are in B.C. suffering from this disorder which is brought on by the drinking of alcohol during pregnancy. According to Christensen, the Health Canada Stats indicate the rate is likely 9 in every 1,000 births.

The ten year plan doesn’t have any funding attached to it although Christensen says his Ministry is already spending in the neighbourhood of $6 million dollars a year on programs to prevent FASD or support families which have a child with FASD. The Minister is also not able to provide a dollar figure on what the  new plan will cost "It is diffult to be absolutely  sure how  much  this will cost" and he wouldn’t give a ballpark  figure "It’s not a figure I would want to put out because of the speculation  that garners."  

The new plan - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Building on Strengths - focuses on six cross-government strategic objectives:

* British Columbians are aware of the risk of alcohol and substance use in pregnancy and of FASD as a lifelong disability.

* All women of childbearing age and their partners and support systems have access to early support and follow-up.

* All pregnant women and mothers experiencing substance use problems, and their partners and support systems, have access to focused intervention and support.

* Children, youth and adults living with FASD have access to timely diagnosis and assessment.

* Children, youth and adults living with FASD and their families and support networks have access to comprehensive and lifelong intervention and support.

* Service systems are coherent, integrated and co-ordinated, and benefit from strong research and evaluation.

"The co-operation, integrated service and education built into this 10-year plan will help reduce this form of preventable brain damage," said Shirley Bond, Minister of Education. "It will take the Province, communities, schools and families all working together to do the job that we know can and must be done."

FASD is the most common cause of brain damage in infants, it is also preventable.

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