In early June, the Michigan House Committee on Health Policy advanced a pair of bipartisan bills that would build clearer pathways for identifying fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and would connect children and families to early support. The two measures, House Bill 5773 and House Bill 5774, moved through committee on June 3 without any votes in opposition and now continue through the legislative process. HB 5773 will be considered by the full House, while HB 5774 has been referred to the House Rules Committee.
What the Bills Would Do
House Bill 5773 was introduced by Representative Cam Cavitt and would direct health professionals to refer patients to a diagnostic center for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders if the provider treats them for a condition related to prenatal alcohol exposure. As introduced, this bill would have also called for referral when a provider suspected a pregnant patient of consuming alcohol. This second referral requirement was removed by the committee.
House Bill 5774, introduced by Representative Stephanie Young, seeks to add FASD to Michigan’s Public Health Code. It specifies that a provider would be required to refer infants in their care with an FASD to the Early On Michigan program. Early On Michigan is an early intervention program part of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential that supports families and infants from birth to 3 years of age.
Notably, HB 5774 also includes the following definition of FASD: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder means a range of effects that can occur in an individual who was prenatally exposed to alcohol, including, but not limited to, a diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome, partial fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, static encephalopathy-alcohol exposed, neurobehavioral disorders associated prenatal alcohol exposure, and alcohol-related birth defects.
An estimated 1 in 20 school-aged children have an FASD, and many do not receive adequate supports. Both of these bills aim to close the gap between recognizing FASD and actually connecting individuals and families to supports in their community.
Focused Support
HB 5773 evolved in committee, as members removed the provision that would have required health professionals to refer pregnant patients based on a suspicion that they were consuming alcohol. Removing it keeps the bill focused on identifying prenatal alcohol exposure in the individuals it affects, rather than asking providers to monitor or scrutinize the behavior of pregnant patients.
Preventing prenatal alcohol exposure remains essential, and the strongest evidence favors approaches that reach everyone rather than singling individuals out. Universal alcohol screening, paired with a brief and supportive conversation when warranted, is an evidence-based and non-stigmatizing way to identify and reduce risky drinking. This approach, often called SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment), is welcomed by patients: nearly all pregnant patients report that they find alcohol screening acceptable and are willing to speak openly with a provider they trust. Building prevention around that kind of universal, judgment-free conversation reflects the same support-first principle that guides good identification policy, and it is far more effective than relying on suspicion.
We will continue to follow these bills as they move through the Michgian Legislature, and we encourage advocates in Michigan to reach out to their state legislators to discuss these bills.
