2006 Minnesota Statutes

145.9266 FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME CAMPAIGN AND EDUCATION.
    Subdivision 1. Public awareness and education. The commissioner of health shall design
and implement an ongoing statewide campaign to raise public awareness and educate the public
about fetal alcohol syndrome and other effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. The campaign
shall include messages directed to the general population as well as culturally specific and
community-based messages. A toll-free resource and referral telephone line shall be included
in the messages. The commissioner of health shall conduct an evaluation to determine the
effectiveness of the campaign.
    Subd. 2. Statewide network of fetal alcohol syndrome diagnostic clinics. A statewide
network of regional fetal alcohol syndrome diagnostic clinics shall be developed between the
Department of Health and the University of Minnesota. This collaboration shall be based on
a statewide needs assessment and shall include involvement from consumers, providers, and
payors. By the end of calendar year 1998, a plan shall be developed for the clinic network, and
shall include a comprehensive evaluation component. Sites shall be established in calendar year
1999. The commissioner shall not access or collect individually identifiable data for the statewide
network of regional fetal alcohol syndrome diagnostic clinics. Data collected at the clinics shall
be maintained according to applicable data privacy laws, including section 144.335.
    Subd. 3. Professional training and education about fetal alcohol syndrome. (a) The
commissioner of health, in collaboration with the Board of Medical Practice, the Board of
Nursing, and other professional boards and state agencies, shall develop materials about fetal
alcohol syndrome for professional training of health care providers, social service providers,
educators, and judicial and corrections systems professionals. The training shall increase
knowledge and develop practical skills of professionals to help them address the needs of at-risk
pregnant women and the needs of individuals affected by fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol
effects and their families.
(b) Training for health care providers shall focus on skill building for screening, counseling,
referral, and follow-up for women using or at risk of using alcohol while pregnant. Training for
health care professionals shall include methods for diagnosis and evaluation of fetal alcohol
syndrome and fetal alcohol effects. Training for education, judicial, and corrections professionals
shall involve effective education strategies, methods to identify the behaviors and learning
styles of children with alcohol-related birth defects, and methods to identify available referral
and community resources.
(c) Training and education for social service providers shall focus on resources for
assessing, referring, and treating at-risk pregnant women, changes in the mandatory reporting and
commitment laws, and resources for affected children and their families.
    Subd. 4. Fetal alcohol syndrome community grant education program. The commissioner
of health shall administer a grant education program to provide money to community organizations
and coalitions to collaborate on fetal alcohol syndrome prevention and intervention strategies and
activities. The commissioner shall disburse grant money through a request for proposal process
or sole-source distribution where appropriate, and shall include at least one grant award for
transitional skills and services for individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effects.
    Subd. 5. School pilot programs. (a) The commissioner of education shall award up to four
grants to schools for pilot programs to identify and implement effective educational strategies for
individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol-related birth defects.
(b) One grant shall be awarded in each of the following age categories:
(1) birth to three years;
(2) three to five years;
(3) six to 12 years; and
(4) 13 to 18 years.
(c) Grant proposals must include an evaluation plan, demonstrate evidence of a collaborative
or multisystem approach, provide parent education and support, and show evidence of a child-
and family-focused approach consistent with research-based best educational practices and other
guidelines developed by the Department of Education.
(d) Children participating in the pilot program sites may be identified through child find
activities or a diagnostic clinic. No identification activity may be undertaken without the consent
of a child's parent or guardian.
    Subd. 6. Fetal Alcohol Coordinating Board; duties. (a) The Fetal Alcohol Coordinating
Board consists of:
(1) the commissioners of health, human services, corrections, public safety, employment
and economic development, and education;
(2) the director of the Office of Strategic and Long-Range Planning;
(3) the chair of the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Task Force established by section
145.881, or the chair's designee;
(4) a representative of the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, appointed
by the provost;
(5) five members from the general public appointed by the governor, one of whom must be a
family member of an individual with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effect; and
(6) one member from the judiciary appointed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Terms, compensation, removal, and filling of vacancies of appointed members are governed by
section 15.0575. The board shall elect a chair from its membership to serve a one-year term. The
commissioner of health shall provide staff and consultant support for the board. Support must
be provided based on an annual budget and work plan developed by the board. The board shall
contract with the Department of Health for necessary administrative services. Administrative
services include personnel, budget, payroll, and contract administration. The board shall adopt an
annual budget and work program.
(b) Board duties include:
(1) reviewing programs of state agencies that involve fetal alcohol syndrome and
coordinating those that are interdepartmental in nature;
(2) providing an integrated and comprehensive approach to fetal alcohol syndrome
prevention and intervention strategies both at a local and statewide level;
(3) approving on an annual basis the statewide public awareness campaign as designed and
implemented by the commissioner of health under subdivision 1;
(4) reviewing fetal alcohol syndrome community grants administered by the commissioner
of health under subdivision 4; and
(5) submitting a report to the governor on January 15 of each odd-numbered year
summarizing board operations, activities, findings, and recommendations, and fetal alcohol
syndrome activities throughout the state.
(c) The board expires on January 1, 2001.
    Subd. 7. Federal funds; contracts; donations. The Fetal Alcohol Coordinating Board may
apply for, receive, and disburse federal funds made available to the state by federal law or rules
adopted for any purpose related to the powers and duties of the board. The board shall comply with
any requirements of federal law, rules, and regulations in order to apply for, receive, and disburse
funds. The board may contract with or provide grants to public and private nonprofit entities. The
board may accept donations or grants from any public or private entity. Money received by the
board must be deposited in a separate account in the state treasury and invested by the State Board
of Investment. The amount deposited, including investment earnings, is appropriated to the board
to carry out its duties. Money deposited in the state treasury shall not cancel.
History: 1998 c 398 art 9 s 2; 1998 c 407 art 2 s 85; 2002 c 220 art 16 s 1; 2003 c 130 s
12; 2004 c 206 s 52