The team at FASD United, in collaboration with our partners at the Department of Defense (DOD) Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) have jointly published a new report: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevention and clinical guidelines research-workshop report.   

The report, published in the journal BMC Proceedings, is authored by two of our key partners at DOD: Tracey Pérez Koehlmoos, Director of USUHS’s Center for Health Services Research, and Elizabeth Lee, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and health systems researcher, along with FASD United’s President Tom Donaldson and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Wisdahl. 

The report describes the outcome of the Workshop on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention and Clinical Guidelines Research that was held on September 21, 2022 in Washington, DC in conjunction with FASD United and USUHS.  The report states that, “More than 50 attendees from academia, healthcare, federal agencies, and consumer advocacy organizations gathered to share research findings, lived experiences, and strategies for improving FASD prevention, diagnosis, interventions, and support.” 

The workshop served as the launch of the four-year federally funded FASD health services research initiative in the Military Health System (MHS), a partnership between FASD United, the Center for Health Services Research (CHSR) at USUHS, and the Boston University School of Public Health.  This project is of paramount importance because while we know that FASD affects a broad range of individuals and families, “it is of particular concern in the military community, where cultural factors including an increased prevalence of alcohol misuse pose a unique set of challenges.” 

This crucially important workshop featured the nation’s leading FASD researchers, including Jeffrey R. Wozniak of the University of Minnesota, Christie Petrenko of the University of Rochester, and Michelle Kuhn of the University of Washington.  An inspiring panel discussion featuring individuals and family members living with FASD was moderated by Jenn Wisdahl of FASD United and featured Rebecca Tillou, Sean Bousquet, and Laura Bousquet.  FASD United’s Kathy Mitchell shared her powerful personal story of recovery during a session on “overcoming stigma and discrimination to prevent FASD.” 

The workshop included presentations on the vital work of the FASD United Affiliate Network, Exceptional Families of the Military, and Blue Star Families, as well as an illuminating panel discussion on the federal response to FASD featuring experts from federal government agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). 

The research initiative launched by this workshop “will investigate the impact of FASD on military families and the working-age population… Project findings will support the development of medical and behavioral health interventions to support individuals with FASD and their military families. The project’s evidence base will inform clinical practice guidelines for replication in civilian systems of care.” 

FASD United is very excited to deliver on the promise of this workshop through our continued work with DOD.  Throughout the course of this important project, FASD United will develop collaborations between people with the living experience of FASD, partner organizations, subject matter experts, and media partners.  We will be hosting many additional workshops, meetings, and webinars, identifying key research and best practices, and conducting a community needs assessment.  We are currently developing a comprehensive stigma and language guide as part of this project, which we are excited to share later this year.   

The workshop report concludes with a look toward the future: “Culmination of this research project will lead to actionable items and improved care delivery for military families and serve as a model for healthcare systems throughout the private sector.”