Sonoran Center’s Joshua Drywater Attends Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Summit

In June 2023, Joshua Drywater, Sonoran Center Program Manager for Native Initiatives, attended the Louisiana Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Summit. The summit was an educational workshop in New Orleans, Louisiana hosted by the Human Development Center at Louisiana State University.  

“Attending this event allowed me to gain insight about FASD from national experts, families, and self-advocates with FASD,” Drywater said. 

Many of the experts presenting and attending the event see FASD programming as an unaddressed need. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified FASD as the leading cause of developmental disabilities in the world. Key topics at the summit included the prevalence and identification of FASD, strategies to support learning and mental health challenges, and lived experience of families and self-advocates with FASD.  

While the event emphasized the state of FASD resources in Louisiana, many of the strategies and programs outlined could be adapted for use in Arizona. During the first few months of 2024, the Sonoran Center looks to incorporate events covering FASD awareness through our upcoming webinar series. The events will feature some of the expert contacts Joshua made during the Summit.

“The Summit was a wonderful event to learn about FASD and some of the great work going on in the country. I gained a lot of knowledge and insight from FASD experts into some of the issues surrounding FASD care and programming, as well as paths forward,” Drywater said.