This resource is developed by the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) for
child welfare professionals who serve children and families affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol and parental
substance use disorders. It provides a broad overview of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), their effect on child
development, and treatment for FASD.
Child welfare professionals play a key role supporting children and families affected by FASD through effectively
partnering with other agencies and service providers who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of FASD, ensuring
young children receive assessments and early intervention services, and providing family-centered substance use
disorder (SUD) treatment. The final section of this document provides detailed practice tips to help child welfare
professionals partner with these other agencies and, in doing so, best support infants, children, and families affected
by FASD using a collaborative, family-centered approach.
Practice Tips resource
Web version of Practice Tips
Fusion Center Network offers telehealth screenings, diagnostic evaluations, consultation, training, and technical assistance to help families, self-advocates, or professionals better understand and support individuals with complex neurodevelopmental conditions including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. As of July 2025, Fusion Center Network is a telehealth-only clinical practice currently serving Texas, Nevada, Arkansas, and Wisconsin.
Fusion Center Network
BRAIN-online is a new web-based screening tool that assesses cognitive and behavioral features known to be associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). It was developed by Dr. Sarah Mattson and her team at the San Diego State University Center for Behavioral Teratology as a first step to determine if you or someone you care for might have an FASD. Developmental and behavioral health screenings are important because they can help with early identification of FASD, allowing for the best treatment options and outcomes.
BRAIN-Online
Presented live on January 7, 2025 as part of FFF’s January FASD webinar series, this webinar is presented by Jenn Werden, MSW, from The Florida Center on Early Childhood. The session provides an overview of prenatal exposure to alcohol, including specifics on diagnoses of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, as well as symptoms and impacts.
Presentation slides
Understanding FASD webinar recording
The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Toolkit was developed to raise awareness, promote surveillance and screening, and ensure that all affected children receive appropriate and timely interventions. From the American Academy of Pediatrics in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control.
Broadcast live on January 16, 2024, this webinar presented by Dr. Stacia Stribling, FFF’s Training and Administrative Coordinator, covered fundamental aspects of disorders associated with prenatal alcohol exposure.
Webinar presentation slides
What is FASD? Webinar recording
Originally broadcast live on January 24, 2023, this webinar features Dr. Elizabeth Cleveland of the Central Arkansas University. Dr. Cleveland overviews FASD and in particular, the diagnosis of FAS and ND-PAE. She offers recommendations for meeting the needs of children, youth and young adults in home and school settings.
Webinar recording
Dr. Cleveland's presentation slides
Delivered live on January 13, 2022, FFF hosted Dr. Renee Turchi for a webinar about diagnosis of conditions under the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders umbrella.
Webinar Recording
Slides from Dr. Turchi FASD Diagnosis
Turchi and colleagues article on FASD Integrated Care
Fact sheets and other resources on FASD and prenatal drug exposure.
Dr. Susan Rich presented a webinar as part of our FASD series. Find her slides and additional handouts here, as well as a recording of the webinar. Please note that video images start about 6 minutes into the recording and due to errors in the file, the audio of Dr. Rich discontinues @ minute 30. We have worked with GoToWebinar extensively to repair the audio file and unfortunately there was a permanent loss of audio. We are assured this issue will not reoccur in future webinars. Our apologies.
Slides from Dr. Rich's webinar
ND PAE Diagnostic Tool from Dr. Rich Jan 2019 webinar
ND PAE diagnostic tool Explanation Dr. Rich Jan 2019 webinar
Recording of Dr. Rich's 1/28/19 webinar (video begins @ minute 6)
Fact sheet from the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism covering different terms, symptoms and clinical diagnoses under the spectrum of FASD.
This Special Article outlines clinical implications and guidelines for pediatric medical home clinicians to identify, diagnose, and refer children regarding neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal exposure. Emphasis is given to reported or observable behaviors that can be identified as part of care in pediatric medical homes, differential diagnosis, and potential comorbidities. In addition, brief guidance is provided on the management of affected children in the pediatric medical home. Finally, suggestions are given for obtaining prenatal history of in utero exposure to alcohol for the pediatric patient.
Article, PDF
Article online
Dr. Jennifer Peterson & Dr. James Miles are the directors of the North Dakota Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Center.
The North Dakota Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Center was established in 1993 with the passage HB 1313 by the North Dakota Legislature. The Center provides diagnostic and management services for people with fetal alcohol syndrome; education/prevention services to the region; and collection of data related to fetal alcohol syndrome in North Dakota.
The Center’s mission is to improve care for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and to prevent prenatal alcohol exposure.
North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Brief training videos on FASD from the University of Wisconsin.