Dear Friends and Supporters,

The NOFAS team is excited to share news heralding a dramatic step forward for our organization. We embark on a fourth decade as the national leader in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) prevention, policy, family advocacy, and support with a powerful new name and a striking new logo.

Today, September 30, 2021, the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) becomes FASD United.

Why the name change?
Our mission remains the same — preventing prenatal exposure to alcohol, drugs, and other substances known to harm fetal development by raising awareness and supporting women before and during their pregnancy. Our new name, FASD United, underscores our dedication to the individuals, families, and communities living with FASD and other preventable intellectual and developmental disabilities.  

When NOFAS incorporated as the first and only national organization addressing fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in 1990, FAS was the only diagnosis for an individual affected by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Today, we know that FAS represents only a fraction of the children and adults affected by PAE. Led by NOFAS, experts in the field agreed on a term and definition to reflect the full spectrum of effects — “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders” or FASD. Our new name reflects the spectrum of FASD and embraces the 1 in 20 individuals affected by FASD in the United States.

Why United?
FASD United expresses the compelling need to work together. FASD United will take our 30+ years of experience and partnerships across public, tribal, and private sector communities, and put it to use bridging the gaps between research, policies, practices, and lived experiences to address the extraordinary complexities of FASD prevention and support for those affected so they can reach their full potential.

Why a new Logo?
The new FASD United logo’s circle of rainbow colors reflects the spectrum of individuals living with FASD and captures the message of hope in the previous NOFAS rainbow logo, illustrated by our dear Karli Schrider. The circular logo symbolizes unity, while the diverse size and colors of the circles represent the varied richness of our communities joining together to find solutions to improve outcomes for individuals and their families living with FASD. 

What’s next?
The challenge we face now is to push ahead further and faster, together, as a determined, powerful, united movement, to fulfill the promise of prevention and meet the needs of the courageous children, adults, and families living with FASD. 

FASD United will continue to drive the nationwide campaign to enact comprehensive federal legislation, the “FASD Respect Act” (S.2238/H.R.4151), and solidify our standing as the leader in our field, bring together the FASD community of families, professionals, researchers, and all those who hope for a better future for families impacted by FASD.

We will also continue our core programs to share information and resources with our constituents, strengthen the affiliate network and build coalitions, chronicle and recognize the FASD lived experience, engage media to amplify our messages, fight stigma and discrimination faced by birth mothers and our community, and this fall FASD United will debut a new website and launch other exciting initiatives and resources as our transformation unfolds.

Thank you for contributing to our evolution, progress, and shared success. We look forward to many more great accomplishments together!

We are all FASD United.

The FASD United Staff and Board of Directors