FASD Center for Excellence

Training and Technical Assistance

The FASD Center for Excellence provides training and technical assistance to a wide variety of people, including persons with an FASD and members of their family, health care providers, social workers, researchers, government personnel, funders, criminal justice staff, and community health advocates.

To request training or technical assistance, fill out our request form as completely as possible. Your request will be reviewed and you will be contacted by someone from the FASD Center for Excellence within 3 working days. If you need help completing the form, contact us electronically, write to SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence, 2101 Gaither Road, Suite 600, Rockville, MD 20850, or call our Information Resource Center toll-free at 866-STOPFAS (786-7327).

Training topics include:

FASD 101: Provides an overview of what fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are, how they are identified, possible reasons for misdiagnosis, difficulties seen in individuals with an FASD, and strategies for improving outcomes for individuals with an FASD and their families.

FASD in the Criminal Justice System: Provides an overview of FASD. Examines reasons individuals with an FASD often come into contact with the criminal justice system and difficulties they have in each stage of the justice process. Strategies for corrections personnel are discussed.

Typical Behaviors of Children and Adolescents with FASD: Provides an overview of the typical behaviors seen in various situations such as home, school, and social situations, for children and adolescents with an FASD. Strategies and interventions are discussed.

Loss and Grieving: Provides an overview of the ongoing losses individuals with an FASD, their family members, and service providers experience. Discusses the importance of recognizing and addressing these losses in order to improve outcomes for the individual, the family, and service providers.

FASD as a Co-Occurring Disorder: Provides an overview of why fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are often unrecognized and therefore misdiagnosed. Also gives reasoning behind why FASD should be considered as a co-occurring disorder, especially when working with individuals with substance use and/or mental health disorders.

FASD in Education: Provides an examination of the difficulties that individuals with an FASD have in educational situations. Examines behaviors that may appear to be non-compliant and uncooperative but which, in fact, may be due to difficulties in processing and operationalizing information. Techniques and strategies for intervening with these students to improve outcomes are highlighted.