Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention & Awareness

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) protects and promotes quality of life and the health of all Missourians throughout the life span. To reduce the risk of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug-exposed pregnancies, DHSS provides education for health care professionals to promote early identification, intervention and referral of at-risk women and children. Service coordination is also available to individuals up to age 20 who were prenatally exposed to alcohol and/or controlled substances and substantiated by the Department of Social Services to be at risk for child abuse/neglect. DHSS also maintains TEL-LINK, a toll-free information and referral telephone line for maternal, child, and family health services.

The Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug (ATOD) Prevention and Awareness Program within DHSS has available resources for health care provider use through its assessment and counseling forms, as well as ATOD educational brochures. Tools to document assessment of drug-exposed pregnancies, as well as to document counseling regarding the dangers of prenatal alcohol, tobacco, and drug use are available in downloadable form. These tools and brochures that address substance use in pregnancy are also available at no charge through the DHSS warehouse.

DHSS is receiving funds from the March of Dimes Missouri State Chapter to offer free Missouri Model for Brief Smoking Cessation Training sessions throughout the state during 2007.These 4-hour trainings for health care providers, and 1-hour executive summary trainings for physicians teach evidence-based interventions to help women quit smoking. For information regarding registration, contact us.

DHSS is also receiving Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) prevention funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the Missouri Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Rural Awareness and Prevention Project (MOFASRAPP). Directed by the ATOD Prevention and Awareness Program, the goal of MOFASRAPP is to develop and implement an integrated systems framework for prevention of and surveillance for alcohol-exposed pregnancies and FAS.

Are you a woman between the ages of 18 and 44 and looking for a little help in cutting down or quitting your drinking or wanting to be smart about your partying? Help is available by calling a toll-free number for the Self-Guided Change phone and mail intervention. If you are eligible, you can receive materials to read and think about in the privacy of your home. The toll-free number is 800-645-6164. Click here to view the Self-Guided poster: "Is your drinking getting out of hand?" or click here to view the Self-Guided poster: "After a night of drinking, do you ever have regrets?"

The Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention and Awareness Program and St. Louis Arc co-chair the Missouri Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Action and Care Team (MOFASACT). This committee that began in July 2001 concentrates its focus on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). The name was selected to reflect Missouri Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Action (prevention and intervention activities) and Care Team (informational sharing among committee members). For further information, contact us.

The mission of MOFASACT is to raise public and professional awareness of FAS, one of the leading preventable causes of mental retardation, through prevention, education and advocacy. Meetings are held quarterly in Columbia, MO and public participation is welcome in developing efforts to prevent FAS throughout Missouri.