Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Underdiagnosed & 100% Preventable

Unlike drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, or cocaine, alcohol is a teratogen: a substance that interferes with normal fetal development and causes congenital disabilities. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe the range of effects and disabilities that can occur in an individual with prenatal alcohol exposure. It’s estimated that 40,000 children may be born with FASDs every year in the US, yet few are diagnosed.

This free, virtual presentation via Zoom will look at prevalence, the challenges of diagnosis, and what it’s like for those living with an FASD as they cope with physical, mental, learning, or behavioral symptoms. Best practices for prevention will be discussed.

FREE virtual training via Zoom. Certificates of completion available.

You will receive an automated confirmation email upon registration. Please check your spam folders and add the domain @compassmark.org to your inbox list of safe senders. You will receive an event Zoom link a few days before the training.

Audience

Educators; Addiction Prevention, Treatment & Recovery; Criminal Justice Professionals; Social Workers; Mental Health Counselors; Parents & Caregivers. All are welcome.

Trainers

Deborah McCoy has dedicated her 40-plus-year career to lifting up educators and ensuring that schools are equipped to support their students’ and staff members’ behavioral health and well-being.

Deb joined Compass Mark in 2018 as a Commonwealth-Approved Trainer (CAT) for Student Assistance Program (SAP) team members. SAP is mandated K-12 in Pennsylvania schools and is a systematic team process used to mobilize school resources to remove barriers to learning for students. She became the Director of Education & Training in 2021 and leads one of the only trainings teams in the state to offer SAP certification training virtually. 

Christine Weidner is a prevention specialist at Compass Mark and part of the Professional Development Team. She earned her bachelor’s in behavioral health from Alvernia University in Reading, PA with an interest in the addiction field. 

With growing education around the topics of cultural humility and the life-long affects of trauma, Christine joined Compass Mark’s training team, providing Student Assistance Program (SAP) certification training to educators, as well as offering maintenance workshops to SAP teams in K-12 schools around topics relating to substance use, mental health symptoms, and the SAP process. 

Questions

Questions to Deb McCoy at dmccoy@compassmark.org