FASD ONE and Creative Prevention Efforts

Angela is honoured to work alongside so many passionate people who work hard to increase awareness and to build system capacity in the area of mental health and FASD. She is proud to have been a part of this project aimed to help people make informed decisions with the goal being to reduce both the incidents and the impacts of prenatal alcohol exposure. With more people confirming alcohol use during pregnancy now than a decade ago, clearly our prevention messages need to change. Check out the videos released by FASD ONE (below article) and let us know what you think.

And as always, please bring these conversations home to your Kitchen Tables and feel free to share!

With many thanks,
Angela & Team

February 20, 2024
For Immediate Release

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Ontario Network of Expertise (FASD ONE) proudly announces the release of 4 public service announcements dedicated to preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. FASD ONE is committed to raising awareness about the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and empowering individuals to make informed choices.

“Our prevention efforts need to change because surprisingly, more people are acknowledging alcohol use during pregnancy now than a decade ago. Those early weeks really matter even before the pregnancy has been confirmed so let’s keep these conversations going. Please Share these PSAs in your circles; personal and professional. It’s up to all of us to support healthy pregnancies!” said Angela Geddes, representative of the FASD ONE Leads Committee. The four videos are available on the FASD ONE YouTube Channel.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a diagnostic term used to describe the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on the brain and body. FASD is a lifelong disability. Individuals with FASD will experience some degree of challenges in their daily living, and need support with motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, communication, emotional regulation, and social skills to reach their full potential.

FASD is an invisible, life-long neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs in all cultures and levels of society. Based on the most current research, the estimated prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the general Canadian population is 4% (CanFASD).

FASD ONE is an unincorporated collaboration of diverse provincial and local stakeholder action groups working to promote, plan, facilitate, and support the coordination, enhancement, and expansion of services and initiatives to better serve children, youth, parents, pregnant women, and families affected by FASD in communities across Ontario.

FASD ONE believes Ontario has the capacity to meet many of the needs of those living with FASD and the capacity to reduce alcohol usage during pregnancy. We are advancing a strategy that focuses on the protective factors and risk factors, so that the existing system of care has information to allow effective program delivery.

For media inquiries please contact:
Janice Balfour
janice@fasdontario.ca