Fetal alcohol syndrome awareness
By Mike Cook
An invisible disease often goes untreated, but changes could be forthcoming.
“Having the ability to recognize signs and characteristics of any disorder, specifically one as dramatically impactful as (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) has been imperative to the working relationship established not only between the kids that I work with, but their families as well,” said Wade Lennox, a juvenile probation officer with Kanabec County Court Services.
He was one of four testifiers to speak in support of additional fetal alcohol syndrome training at a Jan. 20 joint hearing of the House Public Safety Finance Division and the House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee. No action was taken.
Sara Messelt, executive director of the Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, said approximately 8,500 Minnesota babies are born annually with brain damage caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
People affected by the disease can suffer from poor judgment, functioning at a level much younger than their age, not understanding consequences of their actions and a lack of ability to learn from their mistakes.
Messelt cited a study of youth ages 12-21 with the disease that showed 60 percent had legal trouble and 32 percent had been incarcerated.
“If we have a juvenile that gets into the correctional system and we don’t assess them accurately we’re going to see them over and over and over again,” said Rep. Debra Hilstrom (DFL-Brooklyn Center), chairwoman of the oversight committee.
Linda Walinski, a Kanabec County psychologist and registered nurse, said it would help if probation officers, social workers and those in similar professions were to receive additional training. A training manual already exists, but Messelt called training across the state “very hit and miss.”
“Currently, we’re not required to receive any training,” Lennox said, adding some people get guidance on their own.
Calling the testimony “compelling,” Rep. Paul Kohls (R-Victoria) nonetheless questioned adding more unfunded mandates.
Rep. Rob Eastlund (R-Isanti) countered that the state often does this, and said it seems as though this training could be easily added. “Every time we add licensing to a real estate broker we don’t pay for it.’”
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