Local advocate urges awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder ahead of Sept. 9 observance

Kimberly Morris, an adoptive mother and Youngstown resident, urged county commissioners on Sept. 4 to raise awareness about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and described planned local outreach for the international awareness day on Sept. 9.

"It is the only 100 percent preventable birth defect," Morris said, describing a range of lifelong disabilities she attributed to prenatal alcohol exposure, and cited Centers for Disease Control prevalence figures she said showed about 1 in every 100 live births is affected.

Morris said FASD carries substantial lifetime care costs and recounted that some medical professionals still give incomplete or inaccurate guidance to pregnant women about alcohol use. She described a local plan for Sept. 9 — International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day — that includes preparing meals and distributing information to first responders in the Seventh Ward.

Commissioners thanked Morris for raising awareness. The board did not adopt new policy at the meeting; commissioners and staff encouraged outreach and noted the role of first responders and public-health education in early identification and prevention.

Morris said raising awareness could help first responders and service providers recognize children in crisis and direct families to treatment and support resources.