1Designating September 2014 as "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
2Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, September 9, 2014, marks the 15th anniversary of
4International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day;
5and

6WHEREAS, The first Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness
7Day was established in 1999 to remind women of the importance of
8abstaining from alcohol to protect the health of their
9developing children; and

10WHEREAS, Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a range of
11birth defects that can occur in any baby whose birth mother
12drank alcohol anytime during pregnancy; and

13WHEREAS, FASD is a group of conditions that can occur in a
14person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy and includes
15fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental

1disorder and alcohol-related birth defects; and

2WHEREAS, One out of every 100 live births in the United
3States results in a child with FASD; and

4WHEREAS, FASD is the leading known cause of intellectual
5disabilities and birth defects in the United States; and

6WHEREAS, FASD can result in central nervous system damage,
7growth deficiency, functional and cognitive impairments,
8physical defects and mental abnormalities; and

9WHEREAS, Each year in the United States, an estimated 40,000
10babies are born with FASD, making these disorders more common
11than new diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder; and

12WHEREAS, The cost of raising a child with FASD can be nine
13times higher than the cost of raising a child without FASD; and

14WHEREAS, The lifetime cost of caring for a person affected by
15FASD is estimated to be at least $2 million, and the overall
16annual cost of the consequences of FASD to the United States
17health care system is $6 billion to $8 billion dollars each
18year; and

19WHEREAS, With education, FASD is 100% preventable by
20enlightening the public about prevention and the severe
21consequences of FASD; and

22WHEREAS, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day also
23creates awareness of the necessity to provide effective services
24for individuals and families who are significantly impacted by
25these disorders; and

26WHEREAS, The Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the
27National Academy of Sciences, has declared that of all the
28substances of abuse, alcohol produces by far the most serious
29neurobehavioral effects in the fetus; therefore be it

30RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate

1September 2014 as "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness
2Month" in Pennsylvania.