For your interest.

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Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 9:43 AM
Subject: FW: Manitoba Newsrelease - STOP FAS Expanded


>
>
> > For your info.
> >
> > December 13, 2000
> > FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME  PREVENTION
> > PROGRAM TO BE EXPANDED IN NORTH
> > An innovative program that has proven effective in dealing with Fetal
> > Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in Winnipeg is being expanded to two northern
> > Manitoba centres, Family Services and Housing Minister Tim Sale, chair
of
> > the Healthy Child Committee of cabinet, announced today.
> > The STOP FAS program will be expanded to Thompson and The Pas in
January,
> > with funding of $264,000 from Healthy Child Manitoba.
> > "The STOP FAS program has provided important supports for high-risk
> > mothers to avoid the birth of children affected by alcohol and drug
> > abuse," said Sale. "With the expansion of the program to The Pas and
> > Thompson, northern women at risk of having a child born affected by
> > alcohol will also be able to access the supports of this program."
> > The STOP FAS program provides mentors for a three-year period to women
> > struggling with long-term drug and alcohol addiction, so they can have a
> > better chance to succeed in treatment, parent their children, connect
with
> > positive community supports and attain stable housing and employment.
> > The STOP FAS program began in April 1998 in Winnipeg, helping women at
> > risk of having a child with FAS or who had already given birth to an FAS
> > child. To date, over 70 per cent of the women enrolled in the program
have
> > entered treatment and 40 per cent have been abstinent from alcohol for
six
> > months or more.
> > "Issues facing drug and alcohol addicted women are complex, but
> > intervention is crucial to avoid the cost of chronic drug abuse, foster
> > care and legal issues that some Manitoba families struggle with," said
> > Health Minister Dave Chomiak. "The STOP FAS program works with
Manitoba's
> > highest risk mothers to help them connect with the supports they need to
> > maintain their sobriety and build positive, healthy lifestyles."
> > Expansion of the STOP FAS program was one of the key recommendations of
a
> > recent report entitled "The Service Needs of Pregnant Addicted Women in
> > Manitoba" funded by Manitoba Health and conducted in co-operation with
the
> > Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence.
> > In addition, Healthy Child Manitoba (HCM) is an initiative of the
Manitoba
> > government which works across departments to build a community
development
> > approach for the well-being of Manitoba's children, families and
> > communities with a priority focus on conception through infancy and the
> > preschool years.
> > It is led by the Healthy Child Committee of cabinet, chaired by the
> > minister of family services and housing, and comprises the ministers of
> > Aboriginal and northern affairs, culture, heritage and tourism,
education
> > and training, health and justice. The first core commitments of HCM
> > include parent-child centres, prenatal and early childhood nutrition
> > programs, nurses in schools, FAS/FAE prevention and adolescent pregnancy
> > prevention.
> > Manitoba's STOP FAS program is run in partnership with the Aboriginal
> > Health and Wellness Centre and Nor'West Co-op in Winnipeg, the Burntwood
> > Regional Health Authority in Thompson and the NOR-MAN Regional Health
> > Authority in The Pas.
> > * 30 -
> >
> > BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
> > Background Information on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS):
> > FAS is a medically diagnosable condition caused by the use of alcohol
> > during pregnancy and is preventable.
> > Alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading cause of preventable birth
> > defects and mental disabilities in Canadian children.
> > Incidence of FAS:
> > Worldwide incidence is estimated to be two per every 1,000 births.
> > In Canada there have been no comprehensive studies to give reliable
> > incidence estimates.
> > In some high-risk populations in Canada, the incidence of FAS may be as
> > high as 190 per 1,000 births.
> > Medical experts estimate that approximately 240 children are born with
FAS
> > in Manitoba each year.
> > The incidence of Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE) and other alcohol-related
> > birth defects is estimated to be three to four times higher than that of
> > FAS itself.
> > Cost of FAS:
> > Children with FAS require extensive supports including health, special
> > education, child and family services and frequently justice services.
> > It is estimated a child with FAS may require as much as $1.5 million in
> > special care, supervision and support during their lifetime.
> >
> >