NEWS RELEASE
ALGOMA PUBLIC HEALTH
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The Best for Kids Committee, in partnership with City of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Department and the Algoma FASD [Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder] Committee, is pleased to announce a free community presentation by FASD Specialist Dan Dubovsky.
Dan first talked about FASD at the 2013 KidsFirst! Conference—participants clearly stated they wanted to hear more!
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Time: 7 – 8:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30
Where: Comfort Suites, 229 Great Northern Road
What: Building on strengths to address needs of those with FASD
Cost: Free of charge, refreshments provided
Dan is an internationally renowned speaker around the prevention of FASD and strength-based interventions for children, youth, and adults. He is an FASD Specialist with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) FASD Centre of Excellence in the United States. Dan brings a wealth of both personal and professional experience to his presentation.
“FASD affects every system of care. If we correctly identify individuals with FASD and modify our approaches accordingly, we can improve outcomes for individuals, families, agencies, systems of care, and entire communities.” Dan Dubovsky
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a term that describes the range of physical, mental, behavioural and learning disabilities that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.
FASD is more common than Autism and Down Syndrome.
Not everyone who is prenatally exposed to alcohol develops FASD.
However, since we cannot predict how much alcohol will cause brain damage in the individual, the recommendation is to avoid all alcohol during pregnancy—no safe time, no safe amount.
For more information about the event, please call Laura Mergaert, Social Services Department, City of Sault Ste. Marie at 705-759-0092.
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