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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Feldman

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1-30-06

HB

SHORT TITLE Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Project

SB 463

ANALYST Collard

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$50.0 Non-Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 463 appropriates $50 thousand from the general fund to DOH for the purpose of con-

tracting with a nonprofit organization for a fetal alcohol syndrome awareness project where the

film Gary and the Angels will be shown and the organization will conduct associated awareness

initiatives in public schools and target health areas in the state.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50 thousand contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general

fund because it is a pilot project. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the

end of FY07 shall revert to the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DOH indicates Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a disease of brain malformation of a develop-

ing infant caused by use of alcohol by the mother during pregnancy; there are no “safe” amounts

of alcohol during a pregnancy. FAS is the largest preventable cause of mental retardation in the

United States. New Mexico Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) re-

Senate Bill 463 – Page

2

ported New Mexico mothers who had a live birth in 2002, an estimated 46.9 percent drank some

alcohol and 18.6 percent drank frequently or binge drank during the three months before preg-

nancy. This is a serious problem because many New Mexican women do not know they are

pregnant until the third month; much too late to reverse effects of alcohol exposure to the fetus.

Currently, DOH contracts with the Center for Alcohol and Substance Abuse at the University of

New Mexico to provide statewide FAS prevention services.

The department notes the bill specifies a pilot awareness intervention, but might be strengthened

by addressing issues of evaluation or efficacy of the intervention.

PED indicates the following:

·

PED has a policy for the adoption of instructional materials and does not recommend any

specific materials to school districts;

·

There are several strategies, including videos, which can be utilized for prevention of FAS;

·

According to the New Mexico Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Active Case Ascertainment Study;

·

FAS is a chronic yet preventable condition;

·

One of every 1,000 children in New Mexico is affected by FAS;

·

Children with FAS are frequently involved in Child Protective Services and special education

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

This bill falls under the DOH Strategic Plan and its mission to promote health and sound health

policy, prevent disease and disability, improve health services systems and assure that essential

public health functions and safety net services are available to New Mexicans.

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