HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0900.000 2008-2010 BRENDA J. FORD w '' Phone: (808) 326 -5684
N •'r='� '. Fax: (808) 329 -4786
Council Member,:" j�;i • Email: bford @co.hawaii.hi.us
Council District 7 — Central Kona ; «;, ` ,,,,,, y ''r • • ''�4 �OF Mp.'`` '
Hawai `i County Council
County of Hawai `i ='
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Kailua Trade Center -- 4
75 -5706 Hanama Place, Suite 109 N
Kailua -Kona, Hawaii 96740
July 15, 2010
To: J Yoshimoto, Chair
And Committee Members of the Hawaii County Council
From: Brenda J. Ford ?' a
Council Member, District 7
Subject: Presentation on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
I invited Dr. Ira J. Chasnoff, M.D. and Sharon Williams - Bechter, R.N. to make a presentation
regarding Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Dr. Chasnoff will be traveling from Chicago, and is
only available on August 17, 2010.
Dr. Chasnoff has been doing presentations since 1978 and has written many publications and
books explaining the many aspects of fetal abuse. He is the President of the Children's Research
Triangle which researches fetal abuse. Sharon Williams - Bechter is the Hawai'i State Director for
the Children's Research Triangle.
Well over two million U.S. pregnancies each year are affected by the pregnant woman's use of
tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs during pregnancy. Any of these substances can cause structural
and functional changes in the fetal brain affecting the child's long term physical and mental
health, also behavior and learning problems. Until now, there has been no clear data about the
seriousness of this problem in the Hawaiian Islands. This presentation provides the first ever data
of this kind as detailed in "The First Thousand Women: Prevalence of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Drug Use Among Pregnant Women on Hawai'i Island" which focuses on the rates of alcohol,
tobacco, and illicit drug use among pregnant women on the Island of Hawai'i, and the multiple
factors that come together to put the child and family at risk.
Please agendize this presentation by Dr. Ira Chasnoff for August 17, 2010 in the Human Service
and Economic Committee for one and half hours.
Mahalo,
BJF /lw Corm No, g Cd
Ref. To: TD 6.-
Serving the Interests of the People of Our Island
Ref. Date JUL 2 7 2010
Hawai `i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer