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FAQ's
Does an FASD Diagnosis Guarantee Service Eligibility?
Everyone assumes that having a
diagnosis of organic brain damage
resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (FASD, ARND,
static encephalopathy,
partial FASD, etc.) will result in eligibility for services
such as
special education, developmental disabilities, social
security insurance,
vocational rehabilitation, and others. Unfortunately,
a diagnosis alone
will not provide automatic eligibility for any of these
services/resources,
but it is the first step towards service eligibility.
Currently, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
(FASD) is not identified as a specific
category of disability; instead, it is a medical diagnosis. Eligibility
for therapeutic services requires meeting federal, state
or district criteria,
which involves the use of standardized testing of functioning
and
functionality. Standardized testing often includes IQ
testing as a
baseline, and most individuals with FASD have average
or above average
IQ scores. Unfortunately, their learning, developmental
and social
functioning is often far below their intelligence.
In addition, standard testing for
cognitive, motor, language and
emotional functioning often do not “catch” the
functioning problems associated with the type of brain damage resulting from
prenatal alcohol
exposure. In addition, many health, social and educational
professionals
are not familiar with the broad range of effects associated
with
fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and so, do not
understand the
implications an FASD diagnosis may have for the individual’s
development.
In the 1996 report from the Institute
of Medicine, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:
Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Prevention, and Treatment, it
identifies three (3) primary barriers to services for individuals
with FASD are
identified:
1. FASD is not a recognized diagnostic label in most
existing
service systems, and therefore does not establish eligibility
for
affected individuals;
2. The lack of diagnostic status prevents access
to existing services,
particularly for parents who are not able to “
negotiate the system;” and
3. Most alcohol-affected individuals require
more than one type
of service, and this problem requires that agencies cooperate
with each other, which is often very difficult.
While we continue to work toward
positive systems change to improve
the chances of individuals with FASD being eligible for
appropriate
services and resources, we know that much progress has
already
been made through improved diagnostic capacity across
the state,
training for all services providers about this disability,
and improved
supports for parents and caregivers to negotiate the
multiple service
delivery systems.
Even without automatic eligibility
for services, having a complete
FASD diagnosis, with a thorough central nervous system
(CNS) assessment,
provides a strong foundation for appropriate and lifelong
service
eligibility. Often, one piece of the comprehensive diagnosis,
such
as an auditory processing problem or a speech and language
delay
will qualify your child for some level of service. The
more a parent
knows about their child’s diagnosis and the various
systems that exist
to provide support, the better they can advocate for
available and appropriate
services. Families struggling to obtain services for
a child
with an FASD diagnosis can receive advocacy and support
from agencies
like the Stone Soup Group in Anchorage or the Alaska
Disability
Law Centers. The more we know and the more we work together,
the
better our service options will be.
Posted Fall 2002