Klobuchar, Murkowski Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Support Families Impacted by FASD Passes Senate HELP Committee

For Immediate Release:
December 19, 2023

Contact:
Jane Meyer, 202-430-7973

Klobuchar, Murkowski Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Support Families Impacted by FASD Passes Senate HELP Committee

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that their bipartisan Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Respect Act of 2023 passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. This legislation reauthorizes programs to help individuals and families impacted by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders or prenatal alcohol exposure. The FASD Respect Act was introduced in June of this year. 

“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders can have devastating impacts on families, and too many lack access to prevention and treatment services,” said Klobuchar. “Our bill will renew programs that support evidence-based services for families struggling to access care and help put impacted children on the best path forward towards a successful future.”

“Too many Alaskans living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder lack sufficient support and services,” said Murkowski. “The FASD Respect Act will work to help those with FASD and their families access programs and support services, and provide education and awareness for prenatal alcohol exposure. From identification and medical intervention at earlier ages, to promoting substance free pregnancies–I’m pleased that this bill was included in the reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act that passed out of the HELP Committee this week, and want to thank Senator Klobuchar for her partnership.”

“The passage of the FASD Respect Act as part of the SUPPORT Reauthorization bill by the Senate HELP Committee is truly historic and the need could not be greater for those living with an FASD and their families. This bipartisan legislation would not have happened without the leadership of our co-sponsors, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Lisa Murkowski, and the united effort of so many advocates around the country. It truly gives families hope that a greater national commitment to FASD will lead to increased recognition and understanding of this all too prevalent disability,” said FASD United Board Chair and former First Lady of Minnesota, Susan Shepard Carlson. 

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders include diagnoses such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS), Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND), Neurobehavioral Disorders Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE), alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) as well as possibly severe physical, mental, behavioral, and learning disabilities. FASD is caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), an enduring public health issue throughout the United States. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association identified as many as 1 in 20 first graders across the country impacted by FASD. There is no cure for FASD, but research shows that FASD-specific early intervention services can improve developmental outcomes. PAE is the leading known cause of developmental disabilities, and those with FASD may face many social, cognitive, and emotional challenges throughout their lifespan. U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Don Bacon (R-NE) lead bipartisan companion legislation in the House. 

The FASD Respect Act calls for a prompt, coordinated response to PAE, and all prenatal substance exposures to preserve the health and well-being of our nation’s children and families. Specifically, the FASD Respect Act:

• Reauthorizes federal FASD programs by directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish or continue a comprehensive FASD awareness, prevention, identification, intervention, and services delivery program which may include:
  • Educational and public awareness outreach targeting professionals in systems of care;
  • Screening, assessment, identification, and diagnosis;
  • Developing and expanding screening and diagnostic capacity for FASD;
  • Developing, implementing, and evaluating targeted FASD-informed intervention programs;
  • Research on FASD as appropriate; and
  • Building State and Tribal capacity for the awareness, prevention, identification, intervention, treatment, and support of individuals with FASD and their families.
• Establishes Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Centers for Excellence to build local, Tribal, State, and national capacities to prevent and identify the occurrence of FASD and other related adverse conditions, and to respond to the needs of individuals with FASD and their families. Centers of Excellence may:
  • Conduct outreach activities to raise public awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
  • Act as a clearinghouse for evidence-based resources on FASD prevention, identification, and culturally aware best practices.
  • Disseminate ongoing research and information and develop resources on FASD to help inform systems of care for individuals with FASD across their lifespan.
  • Increase awareness and understanding of efficacious, evidence-based FASD screening tools and culturally- and linguistically-appropriate evidence-based intervention services and best practices across systems of care.
  • Improve capacity for State, Tribal, and local affiliates dedicated to FASD awareness, prevention, and identification and family and individual support programs and services (technical assistance provided by FASD Center of Excellence).

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