Proof Alliance

PREVENT PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE AND SUPPORT ALL IMPACTED BY FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER.

SUPPORTING PEOPLE AT RISK OF PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE (PAE): PROOF ALLIANCE RECOGNIZES WE CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE, AND OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO PARTNER IN THIS WORK IS CRITICAL. IN 2023, PROOF ALLIANCE PROVIDED GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES FOR FASD PREVENTION AND CARE EFFORTS. PROOF ALLIANCE ALSO PROVIDES OVERSIGHT, TECHNICAL SUPPORT, TRAINING, AND ASSISTANCE FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS. IN 2023: PROOF ALLIANCE PROVIDED COLLEGE AMBASSADOR GRANTS TO FOUR COLLEGES IN GREATER MINNESOTA SUPPORTING 13,959 STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT FASD AND THE DANGERS OF PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE. PROOF ALLIANCE PROVIDED NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY GRANTS TO THREE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IN MINNESOTA'S METRO AREA, OFFERING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PROGRAMS TO MOTHERS AND FAMILIES. THESE PROGRAMS AIM TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE RISKS AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES IMPACTED BY FASD. PROOF ALLIANCE ADMINISTERED THE FASD PREVENTION GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES GRANTS TO CHEMICAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS IN MINNESOTA TO SUPPORT PREGNANT AND PARENTING PEOPLE IN RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE-USE DISORDERS THROUGH LONG-TERM WRAPAROUND CARE TO SUPPORT ALCOHOL-FREE PREGNANCIES AND PREVENT FASD. IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR NATIONAL PARTNERS, WE CONTINUED OUR WORK TRAINING HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ON PRENATAL SCREENING FOR ALCOHOL USE. WE HAVE NOW TRAINED 64 PRENATAL PROVIDERS IN 15 STATES.

CHAMPION FASD-INFORMED PUBLIC POLICIES: PROOF ALLIANCE INITIATES AND CHAMPIONS PUBLIC POLICIES TO IMPROVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FASD-INFORMED EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, HOUSING AND LIFE-ALTERING SERVICES TO PREVENT PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FAMILIES IMPACTED BY AN FASD.

FASD IDENTIFICATION, DIAGNOSIS AND SUPPORT: WE CONTINUED WITH OUR NATIONAL PARTNERS TO TRAIN PEDIATRIC PHYSICIANS IN SCREENING AND HAVE TRAINED 125 PEDIATRIC PROVIDERS ACROSS 15 STATES. OUR ON-SITE DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC CONTINUES TO SERVE BOTH PATIENTS AND THE FIELD. WE PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. CATHERINE TO PROVIDE FIELD EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR NURSING STUDENTS AND CONTINUED OUR ROLE LEADING THE FASD DIAGNOSTIC CONSORTIUM. IN 2023, PROOF ALLIANCE PROVIDED RESOURCE NAVIGATION, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT, FAMILY EVENTS, SUPPORT GROUPS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES (E.G. CAREGIVER CONFERENCE) FOR 209 CAREGIVERS, AN INCREASE OF 14% SINCE 2022. WE SHIFTED TO A NEW MODEL OF CAREGIVER SUPPORT, WHICH INCORPORATES PEER-LED SUPPORT GROUPS TO MAXIMIZE OUR RESOURCES AND GEOGRAPHICAL REACH AND EMPHASIZE THE VALUE OF LIVED EXPERIENCE. THIS WORK SUPPORTS CAREGIVERS IN PARENTING SKILLS, RESOURCE NAVIGATION, SELFCARE, ADDRESSING STIGMA/SHAME, AND DEVELOPING INFORMAL SUPPORT NETWORKS TO SHARE JOYS, SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES.

INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF FASD: OUR PREVENTION WORK INCLUDES VARIOUS ENDEAVORS TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT FASD AND THE IMPACT OF PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE. WE PARTNERED WITH PRESTON SPIRE TO IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT ACHIEVED 81 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS. THE CAMPAIGN TARGETED WOMEN IN MINNESOTA AGES 18-25. PUBLIC AWARENESS MATERIALS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH EXHIBITING AT IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL COMMUNITY EVENTS, PROVIDING CUSTOM WINE BAGS TO LIQUOR STORES WITH AN FASD MESSAGE, AND ONLINE ORDERS OF MATERIALS TO BE SHARED IN SETTINGS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THROUGH ALL OUR PUBLIC AWARENESS EFFORTS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE 62,779 PROOF ALLIANCE PUBLIC AWARENESS MATERIALS ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. IN 2023, WE CONTINUED GROWING THE OUR CHILDREN ARE SACRED (OCAS) PROGRAMMING. OCAS IS AN INITIATIVE CREATED BY AND FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF FASD IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. THIS WORK IS GUIDED BY A CO-CREATION TEAM COMPRISED OF 15 INDIGENOUS LEADERS. IN FEBRUARY, WE HIRED OUR NEW OCAS PROGRAM MANAGER TO OVERSEE THE WORK ENCOMPASSED BY OCAS.