Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
Supporting Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Screening and Intervention - Boston Medical Center and Proof Alliance have partnered to create the SAFEST (SBIRT And FASD Education, Support and Technical assistance) Choice National Learning Collaborative (SAFEST Choice National), which is an expansion and enhancement of the current HRSA-funded regional SAFEST Choice. The current program, in its fourth and final year, successfully trained approximately 300 participants from 70 practices in 18 states. This new proposed program will include many of the strategies used in the current regional program along with innovations based on lessons learned. One primary innovation is to offer a second type of longitudinal learning to accommodate a wider range of practices with differing capacities to engage in longitudinal learning. The proposed program has two main goals: 1) To improve the ability of Primary Care Providers (PCPs) and their teams to screen for alcohol use prior to, and during pregnancy, provide evidence-based brief interventions to prevent prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and facilitate referral of high-risk people to specialty care; and 2) To improve the ability of PCPs and their teams serving children and adolescents to screen for PAE and manage and facilitate referrals to necessary services for those at risk for, and identified with, a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The primary program objectives are 1) At least 90% of PCPs educated through this program will have more knowledge about the hazards of PAE, and about options for screening for alcohol use and PAE among children and adolescents suspected of having a FASD; 2) At least 75% of PCPs educated through this program will have applied this knowledge and will have used a recommended approach of screening, brief intervention, and referral to services. SAFEST Choice National will achieve the above-stated goals and objectives by enrolling 80-100 practices with a focus on those caring for underserved, rural, and tribal communities to participate in one of two types of FASD learning collaboratives and Technical Assistance (TA): 1) FASD ECHO Training: 5-month program that includes a foundational webinar followed by 10 ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) sessions; and 2) FASD Intensive Training: 2-month program that includes 2 days of live immersion training followed by 3 virtual case discussion sessions. There are 6 core learning competencies in both the pediatric and prenatal trainings. The TA will include a menu of options that are either group skills-based or personalized practice-based. Recruitment of practices will focus on states and counties with underserved and rural communities with high rates of risky alcohol use throughout the U.S. Participants will be recruited through strategic partnerships with National Area Health Education Centers Organization, National Rural Health Association, National Association of Community Health Centers, Talem Health Rural Medical Education, and Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health. A program Advisory Board which will meet twice yearly, will be comprised of experts in related fields and people with living experience. It will guide activities and advise on all phases of the program. To examine the effectiveness of SAFEST Choice National, a mixed-method process and outcome evaluation will be conducted. The process evaluation will be used to improve program activities. The outcome evaluation will use a pre, post, follow-up design to measure changes in knowledge, confidence, and practice change. Based on the successful implementation of our regional SAFEST Choice program and our many proposed enhancements of our training offerings, practice recruitment and engagement strategies, new collaborations with national organizations serving rural and underserved communities, and additions to our core faculty and Advisory Board, we are well-positioned to successfully achieve the goals and objectives of our SAFEST Choice National program.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).