On Friday April 26, the Health Minister Hon Dr Shane Reti announced a renewal of the government’s priorities to address the scale of harm caused by FASD at Papakura Marae in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland. 

Dr Reti, who recently met with three FASD-CAN executives to discuss FASD, was at the marae to launch the Aotearoa New Zealand Clinical Diagnostic Guidelines for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

He focused on key priority activities which he hopes to progress while in office, including a commitment to train 30 more health professionals to diagnose FASD, a pilot support programme for whānau and caregivers, a national campaign to raise awareness and a revitalisation of the FASD Action Plan.

FASD-CAN welcomes these developments. Since the official end of the FASD Action Plan in 2019, we have called for it to be reviewed and revised, as well as for better funding and inter-agency commitment to its implementation. We also welcome the news of a national campaign to raise awareness of FASD, as we know this will be so important for our whānau in terms of both prevention and addressing stigma. And we look forward to any potential collaboration with the community-led pilot programme mentioned by the to Minister to support individuals, whānau and caregivers living with FASD.

“However, so much more needs to be done to support the needs of people with this lifelong brain damage and their families,” says FASD-CAN CEO, Stephanie James-Sadler. “FASD can impact people across a range of areas – education, substance misuses, mental health, employment, justice and suicide. Early intervention is critical if we want to reduce the risk of these outcomes.”

FASD-CAN continues to advocate for disability support for those with FASD. The commitment by this government to address priorities for FASD is a welcome step.

As we know, FASD is estimated to affect between 3-5% of the population but as a disability it is largely hidden. Getting a diagnosis is currently very difficult in Aotearoa, with some families resorting to private assessment costing up to $9,000 – but it can be life-changing for people with FASD if supported by early interventions and access to disability support.

(Photo above: left to right – FASD-CAN board member Gilbert Taurua, Dr Reti, FASD-CAN CEO Stephanie James-Sadler and Chair Dr Leigh Henderson.)

UPDATES: 

Click here to read about this in an article by RNZ.

Click here to go to the FASD Diagnostic Guidelines 2024.

Click here to go to the updated FASD Action Plan.