We are thrilled to welcome the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) as the newest member of the FASD United Affiliate Network, now comprised of 49 organizations united to further FASD awareness, provide support, and improve the quality of life for those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure.
The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) “works to ensure every Ohioan has access to quality behavioral health care” and is leading the way in addressing FASD. DBH’s mission when it comes to FASD is “to increase awareness of the impact of alcohol-exposed pregnancies, collaborate with agencies to establish resources, coordinate interventions and diagnostic services for families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.”
The organization’s top goals in the area of FASD are to:
- Reduce alcohol exposed pregnancies
- Increase availability and awareness of FASD
- Increase collaboration with stakeholders
DBH brings a wealth of expertise at a massive scale to the FASD field, as the department operates six regional behavioral healthcare hospitals, serving around 3,000 Ohioans annually. DBH has many FASD resources, trainings, and materials, which can be accessed through their website.
Karen Kimbrough leads DBH’s FASD Steering Committee and says, “The Ohio Dept. of Behavioral Health joined the FASD Affiliate Network to actively contribute to our community’s awareness, prevention, intervention, and treatment of FASD. The CDC reports as many as 1-20 children in the US may have FASD. It is important that individuals and their families affected by FASD receive the care and attention needed throughout their lifespan. We want to start driving tangible results alongside a dedicated team, ultimately working to ensure our shared goals become a reality.”
DBH has several online trainings in FASD and recently shared a training on “FASD and Substance Use Disorder in the Correctional Setting” presented by clinical psychologist Gokce Ergun, Ph.D. who also wrote a report on the diagnosis of FASD in Ohio, another great resource from DBH.
We deeply appreciate the ongoing work of DBH to address FASD, including through programs to train criminal justice staff on FASD and educate clinical psychologists in FASD screening and assessment. DBH maintains a Parent and Family Peer Supporter Directory, provides information on FASD throughout conferences, disseminates digital educational materials, and trains foster parent, kinship, and adoptive parents on FASD.
Join us!
Do you have an organization that is interested in joining the FASD Affiliate Network? We welcome interested organizations to take a seat at our table by becoming an engaged, FASD-informed organization! An organization/entity’s sole focus does not need to be FASD to join the network. We encourage all organizations/entities that are dedicated to furthering our mission to get involved. Learn more on how to become an affiliate on our website.