title: Sobering thoughts: town Hall meetings on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
abstract: Prenatal exposure to alcohol is one of the leading causes of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities. During the past 30 years, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), including fetal alcohol syndrome, have gradually begun to attract attention. However, awareness and understanding of the disorders remain low, and people who are affected are seriously underserved. The FASD Center for Excellence held a series of town hall meetings in 2002 and 2003 to gauge the issues surrounding FASD nationwide. On the basis of its findings, the center proposed a series of recommendations to begin to remedy some of the deficiencies that were identified.
authors.affiliation: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Center for Excellence, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Rockville, Md, USA.
authors.forename: Doreen Major
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Doreen M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bonnett
authors.forename: Callie B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Gass
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003256:Community Participation; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education; D006291:Health Policy; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012941:Social Responsibility; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014482:United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration