MISSION STATEMENT:

To educate Members of the United States House of Representatives on issues relevant to preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and increasing the quality of life for those currently living with these debilitating birth defects.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are some of our nation’s most detrimental birth defects, with an incidence rate of approximately 1 in 100 live births.  They are the direct result of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and the leading known cause of mental retardation.  FASD are constituted by effects on the neural constitution of an individual along with a host of ensuing brain malformations that lead to behavioral dysfunctions such as attention-deficit, depression, and learning disabilities.  FASD are completely preventable if a woman abstains from alcohol during pregnancy, making it imperative that outreach and education are undertaken as part of an ambitious prevention campaign.