Colorado

FASD State Coordinator (NAFSC Member)

Pamela Gillen, ND, RN, CACIII
Director
Assistant Professor of Research and Project Director
COFAS Prevention Projectm
Colorado AHEC System
Anschultz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver
241 Salem Street
Aurora, CO 80011
303-724-0327
303-724-0891 Fax
pamela.gillen@ucdenver.edu

FASD State Website

http://hschealth.uchsc.edu/ahec/fas/

FASD State Resources

Colorado Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Prevention Program http://hschealth.uchsc.edu/ahec/fas/ Colorado Resources for Families

NOFAS Colorado
www.nofascolorado.org
Formerly The Colorado Fetal Alcohol and substance Abuse Coalition

The Coalition meets the first Thursday of each month from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the Council on Substance Abuse and Mental Health, 655 Broadway, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80203 (the Compass Bank Building). Contact either April Montgomery, Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 303-692-2620, crcsn@state.co.us or Eileen Bisgard at 303-654-3246, eileen.bisgard@judicial.state.co.us

Organized in 1991, this statewide coalition is made up of family members, individuals, and representatives from organizations within Colorado who are interested in issues related to prenatal exposure to alcohol and other drugs and services for individuals and their families. The purpose is to exchange information and to learn about resources within Colorado. Membership consists of educators, human service providers, public health workers, parents, therapists, physicians, nurses, and psychologists. NOFAS Colorado
Sponsors seminars, workshops and monthly meetings with
speakers

Helps establish and sustain family support groups
Collaborates to develop evaluation, diagnostic and service
capacity for affected individuals
Provides information on services and resources
Advocates for legislative initiatives around FASD
Supports agencies and programs seeking federal, state, and local
funding for FASD related issues

The Fetal Alcohol/Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Outreach Project (FASPOP)
http://hschealth.uchsc.edu/ahec/fas/
Colorado Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center
P.O. Box 6508, Mail Stop F433
Aurora, CO 80045-0508
303-724-0327 or Personal DECISIONS 1-888-724-3273 (Toll-free)
E-mail: Pamela.Gillen@ucdenver.edu

The Colorado Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and other Prenatal Drug exposure (COFAS) Prevention Outreach Project (POP) is a collaborative effort involving numerous community sectors and health, education, social service, law enforcement and community groups. The program has a statewide focus utilizing the Colorado AHEC system to provide program services to all regions of the state.

The key strategies and goals for COFAS POP include: 1) information - to increase overall awareness of the nature and scope of the FASD/ATOD problem and effective strategies to prevent the problem; 2) education - to increase the knowledge and skills of individuals who work with high risk populations in the area of effective FASD/ATOD prevention; 3) problem identification and referral - to increase FASD/ATOD knowledge and problem identification and referral skills of health and human service providers who work with high risk individuals; 4) community based- to develop the capacity of local community groups to address FASD/ATOD issues in their area; 5) environmental - to increase overall knowledge of effective FASD/ATOD policies and help change current attitudes in the communities.

In addition COFAS POP has a resource line for women seeking help around their current drinking and a self guided change packet that can be sent to the woman's home. This project is known as Personal DECISIONS.

Parent Support Groups

North Denver County Parent Support Group
Please contact Eileen Bisgard at 303-654-3246 or Eileen.bisgard@judicial.state.co.us

The Source
A Directory of Resources for Families and Human Services Workers Concerned with Maternal Substance Abuse and Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/crcsn/fetalalcoholresources.html - source

This is the place to find resources in Colorado for families and service providers who are living with and working with children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. It lists health care providers, diagnostic clinics, therapists of all types, mental health providers, substance abuse treatment providers, child care providers, national web sites, and much, much more. The Source can be found at the above web site. If you have a special project or a meeting for which you need copies please contact April Montgomery at april.montgomery@state.co.us.

Sewall Child Development Center
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic Clinic
http://www.sewall.org/
1360 Vine Street
Denver, CO 80206
303-399-1800

Sewall Child Development Center has a multi-disciplinary Diagnostic and Evaluation Clinic that includes a pediatrician trained in making a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Sewall has focused on providing educational and therapeutic services to young children and their families since 1980. Sewall's early intervention services include special education, speech/language, and motor therapies; developmental preschool, childcare, individual and family therapy, and family support.

Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs (HCP)
www.hcpcolorado.org
Contact your local public health department or county nursing service or call
Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246
303-692-2370
E-mail: cdphe.psdrequests@state.co.us

Do you have concerns about your child's health or development? Do you suspect or have you been told that your child, or a child you know, has a chronic health related condition including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders?
The Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program works to support children with special health care needs and their families. They can help you find services and resources such as diagnostic clinics, therapists, and community resources. These services are free and available to all families with children in your community.

Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN)
The public health birth defects monitoring and prevention project
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246
303-692-2700

Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN) is the public health birth defects monitoring and prevention program. It purpose is to maintain databases of pregnancies and young children with birth defects, developmental disabilities and risks for developmental delay, to monitor the occurrence of birth defects and developmental disabilities, to prevent birth defects and secondary disabilities and to help connect children and families with early intervention services, to provide accurate statistics to other programs and to researchers with the ultimate goal of preventing future birth defects and developmental disabilities. Separate programs in CRCSN include birth defects, neural tube defects, autism, muscular dystrophy, and fetal alcohol syndrome. CRCSN has been working to prevent and conducting surveillance on fetal alcohol syndrome since 1991.

Arc of Colorado
http://www.thearcofco.org/
1580 Logan Street, Suite 730
Denver, CO 80203
303-864-9334
Email: mailto:mrymer@thearcofco.org

The Arc has made individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and their families a population of special interest. The Arc of Colorado advocates with others to create the conditions under which all people with developmental disabilities experience opportunities to develop competency and to make choices, to have good relationships with family members and friends, to have respect and dignity, and to be full participants in all community living. Their goal is to help people with disabilities and their families become knowledgeable about disabilities and the services and supports that are available. A variety of other services may be provided by individual chapters in different regions of Colorado.

Family Voices of Colorado
www.familyvoicesco.org
450 Lincoln, Suite 100
303-733-7000
Family Voices Colorado is a chapter of the national, grassroots organization composed of families and friends who care for and about our children with special health care needs. The primary goal of the organization is to ensure that our children's health is addressed amidst change in public and private health care systems. Family Voices Colorado provides:

Information and Referral
Advocacy Support Information
Private Health Insurance Advocacy
Training
Systems Change/ Policy Work

Child Find
Local Public School Districts
Call your local school district office or
the Colorado Department of Education at 303-866-6943
to receive the name of the contact for your area

Child Find is one of the primary public providers for developmental screening, assessment, and referral for children who have or are suspected of having developmental delays. Child Find is responsible for assessment and establishing eligibility for individuals from birth to 21 years of age. The school system provides services beginning at age 3. (They can tell you which program in your area serves children birth through 3 years of age.) The exact services provided are dependent upon the individual child's needs, which may include but not be limited to speech/language therapy and occupational therapy.

The primary role of the Child Find Team(s) is to locate, evaluate, and identify children with special needs. Each school district decides how to handle this and it may look different district-to-district.

PEAK Parent Center
http://www.peakparent.org/calendarFull.asp
Hotline: 1-800-284-0251
Denver Office
1177 Grant Ave, Suite 104
Denver, CO 80203
303-864-1900
email: outreach@peakparent.org
Parent Advisors: 1-800-284-0251 or parentadvisor@peakparent.org

Colorado Springs Office
611 North Weber, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
719-531-9400
Hotline: 1-800-284-0251
e-mail: info@peakparent.org
Parent Advisors: 1-800-284-0251 or parentadvisor@peakparent.org
PEAK Parent Center is Colorado's Parent Training and Information Center. It is a statewide organization of parents of children with disabilities reaching out to assist other parents and professionals. PEAK Parent Center's commitment is that children, youth, and adults with disabilities lead rich, active lives and participate as full members of their schools and communities. They also offer a very detailed calendar on the Peak Parent Website above. The calendar can be searched by dates, disability category or month.
Colorado Person-Centered Planning Initiative
PEAK Parent Center, the Colorado Department of Education, and the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council provide person-centered planning opportunities to people with disabilities between the ages 3-30 years old. This process supports the development of personal support circles to assist you in planning for the future. An assigned facilitator and a recorder guide you, your family, and other invited participants of your choice through a creative planning process of identifying dreams, setting goals and planning the steps needed to achieve those goals. After the session, you will have a concrete action plan for working together with your personal circle to reach your desired future.

Focuses on a young person's strengths and interests
Gathers a group of the young person's family, friends, neighbors, teachers, service providers, and others
Is positive and enjoyable
Helps develop a solid plan for reaching a positive future
Person must be between the ages of 3 and 30

The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People
www.thelegalcenter.org
455 Sherman, Suite 130
Denver, CO 80203
303-722-0300
The Legal Center is an independent public interest non-profit specializing in civil rights and discrimination issues. They protect the human, civil and legal rights of people with mental and physical disabilities, people with HIV, and older people throughout Colorado.
The Legal Center's primary goal is to open up the legal system to those who would otherwise be unable to voice their needs. The Everyday Guide to Special Education Law, by Randy Chapman, is an essential tool for parents to help them get the best education possible for their child with disabilities. This book is also a great resource for teachers and school administrators.

17th Judicial District FASD Initiative
100 Judicial Center Drive
Brighton, CO 80601
www.17thjudicialdistrict.com/splashFASD.html
303-654-3246
Eileen.bisgard@judicial.state.co.us

The Seventeenth Judicial District FASD Initiative is a multi-disciplinary, inter-agency project formed to study and develop better practices in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in children and adolescents. They screen and diagnose children and youth entering the juvenile justice system in Adams County. Their web site links to other useful web sites.

Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN) is the public health birth defects monitoring and prevention program. CRCSN has been active in monitoring and preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders since 1990. CRCSN supports a birth defects registry, autism surveillance and research, muscular dystrophy epidemiological research, and fetal alcohol syndrome programs.

Funded Subcontractor

17th Judicial District, Colorado Judicial Department

Legislative Information:

Bill Number	Category	Introduced	Description	Status
HB11 -1144	Prevention	2011	Expands the number of members of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders commission and encouraging evaluation and expanded use of health warning information.	Signed by Governor 03/25/2011
SB187	Funding	2009	This bill concerns supplemental appropriations to the Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing, including appropriations for the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division, High Risk Pregnant Women Program.	Signed by Governor 03/12/2009
HB1021	Prevention	2009	Section 1. 18-1.9-102, Colorado revised statutes, is amended by defining "co-occurring disorder" to mean a disorder that commonly coincides with mental illness and may include, but is not limited to, substance abuse, developmental disability, fetal alcohol syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. Relating to the treatment for person with mental illness who are involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems.	Signed by Governor 03/20/2009
HB1139	Prevention	2009	Section 1. 25-1-201, Colorado revised statutes defines "fetal alcohol spectrum disorder" or "fasd" to mean a continuum of permanent birth defects caused by maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. "fasd" includes, but is not limited to, fetal alcohol syndrome. Section 25-1-216 (4)(a) Creates a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Commission. The Commission shall develop a health warning sign for use by vendors and shall make recommendations that shall address the prevention of and education about FASD and any other FASD-related issues. Each vendor licensed in Colorado to sell alcoholic beverages is hereby encouraged to post a health warning sign pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of this section, informing patrons that the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy may cause birth defects, including fetal alcohol syndrome.	Signed by Governor 4/21/2009
HB1024	Treatment	2003	Concerns child care, and in connection with child care, making modifications to certain statutes affecting foster care child placement agencies; defines medical foster care which provides home-based care for medically fragile children and youth impacted by prenatal drug and alcohol abuse.	Enacted 05/22/2003