Coffee Breaks with TXICFW: Alcohol & Pregnancy: Helping families through stigma
Addressing alcohol and pregnancy is an integral part of child maltreatment prevention, but it also can help prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). Nationally, 2-5% of youth are affected by FASDs. A recent study on alcohol exposure in pregnancy in Texas indicated that about 8% of the sample were positive for alcohol exposure in the final weeks of pregnancy. While this does not mean that 8% of Texas births are children with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), it does imply that there is work to be done in getting the messages out to women of childbearing age about alcohol-exposed pregnancy prevention. Research suggests that FASDs are even more prevalent among families in the child welfare system. Often, families do not want to address FASD because of the stigma surrounding substance use during pregnancy. Join us as we host Leah Davies from Strategic Health Alliance to discuss ways we can improve the systems that are meant to support families impacted by FASD but also how FASD symptoms may manifest in the families we work with and how we can help them move past the stigma and receive the support they need.
Join us for a live session on September 5th, 2018 from 1:30-2pm on our Facebook Page!
Already know you are joining us? Here is some reading/resources provided by our guest:
- Prevalence of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in the State of Texas as Assessed by Phosphatidylethanol in Newborn Dried Blood Spot Specimens
- Child Welfare Social Workers & Children with Prenatal Substance Exposure: Current Needs & Potential Solutions
- CDC: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Training And Resources
Meet Our Guest:
Leah Davies, LMSWProject Manager, Strategic Health Alliance
Leah has over 15 years of experience working to support Texas children and their families through a variety of roles within the human services, non profit, public education, policy, and community organizing fields. Leah holds a B.A. in Sociology, with a minor in Women’s Studies and a certificate in the Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. She obtained her Master’s degree in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin.
Want 0.5 CEUs for tuning in? Please sign up below!