The NC Fetal Alcohol
Prevention Program
Proof Alliance NC is a statewide program funded by the SAMHSA Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Block Grant (SAPTBG) and has been in operation since 2002. Proof Alliance NC strives to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies by providing training, education and resources to professionals who serve individuals of reproductive age, deliver prevention messaging and resources to individuals who can become pregnant, as well as resources for professionals who provide supports to families and individuals impacted by FASD.
The US Surgeon General advises pregnant women and women who are considering becoming pregnant abstain from alcohol consumption to eliminate alcohol-exposed pregnancies, yet it is estimated 40,000 babies are born each year with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), an umbrella term describing the range of lifelong effects that can occur in an individual who was exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.
The North Carolina Fetal Alcohol Prevention Program (Proof Alliance NC) is now a part of The Arc of North Carolina's Advocacy division. The program will increase the number of trained Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) educators across the state, as well as spreading the No Safe Amount/No Safe Time message to women of child-bearing age across the state. FASD is the only preventable intellectual/developmental disability. Lauren Borchert will serve as the Program Coordinator and Amy Hendricks will serve as the Training Coordinator.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
FASD is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual who was exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. FASD is a complicated diagnosis that affects brain function, resulting in physical and intellectual disabilities that impact learning and behavior and has lifelong implications. While FASD describes a range of effects, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a specific birth defect within the FASD diagnosis that involves distinct facial features. Studies show that for every one (1) individual with FAS, there are ten (10) individuals on the spectrum that are equally and/or more severely impacted but do not have the facial features. Think brain, not face.
