National Partnerships to Address Prenatal Alcohol and Other Substance Use and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Prenatal alcohol and other substance use as well as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) remain a critical public health issue. Recent data show that nearly 1 in 7 pregnant people report current drinking and about 1 in 20 report binge drinking in the past 30 days. Further, current alcohol use and binge drinking during pregnancy in the US increased slightly from 2011 to 2018. Data also show that polysubstance use is high among those who use alcohol during pregnancy. While few estimates for the full range of FASDs are available, experts estimate that up to 1 in 20 US school children may have FASDs. CDC proposes to allocate funds to implement Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) DD22-2201, Addressing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders through National Partnerships. The project period will be four years, with 4 12-month budget periods and an anticipated project start date of September 30, 2022. The purpose of this NOFO is to promote the prevention of FASDs and the early identification and management of infants and children with FASDs through a collaborative framework of national partner organizations. Strategic areas of focus may include training clinical, public health, or community-based organizations serving populations of reproductive age, including pregnant people, as well as those serving children and families about prenatal alcohol and other substance use, screening and brief intervention for alcohol and other substances, and identification and management of children living with FASDs; developing and disseminating evidence-based recommendations and messaging nationally, regionally, and through health systems and other networks to prevent or reduce alcohol and other substance use among people who are pregnant or might be pregnant as well as to promote early identification and management of children living with FASDs; developing and fostering or participating in a champions network to galvanize support for and share messaging and resources about prevention of FASDs and early identification and management of children living with FASDs; building community, state, and local capacity to link clinical and public health partners to reach affected populations with effective programs and practices; coordinating efforts across projects to ensure consistent information and resources are being used; and evaluating the effectiveness of program strategies.