FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2026

                         C 422 L 93

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Requiring notice about fetal alcohol syndrome.

By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives Karahalios, Wood, Leonard and Kessler).

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce

Background:  Fetal alcohol syndrome is the third leading cause of mental retardation in the United States.  Approximately 145 babies are born in Washington each year with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Summary:  The Liquor Control Board is required to post in a conspicuous place within each state liquor store a notice in at least one-inch print warning persons that consumption of alcohol shortly before conception or during pregnancy may cause birth defects, including fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects.

The secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services, through the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, is required to develop and promote statewide secondary prevention strategies designed to increase the use of alcohol and drug treatment services by women of childbearing age, before, during, and immediately after pregnancy.

The secretary is also required to promote the development of three pilot "pretreatment" projects for women of childbearing age.  Two of the projects will be located in public health department clinics that provide maternity services and one in a domestic violence program.  The secretary is authorized to hire three certified chemical dependency counselors to work in the three projects.  The chemical dependency counselor for the Domestic Violence Program shall also be trained in domestic violence issues.

The duties and activities of the counselors shall include:  (1) identifying substance-using pregnant women in the pretreatment projects; (2) educating the women and agency staff on the health effects of alcohol and drugs; (3) determining the extent of the women's substance use; (4) evaluating the need for treatment; (5) making referrals for chemical dependency treatment if indicated; (6) facilitating the women's entry into treatment; and (7) advocating on the client's behalf with other social service agencies or others to coordinate clients into treatment.

The secretary is required to ensure that administrative costs of the department are limited to 10 percent of the funds appropriated for the project. 

Votes on Final Passage:

House  96 0

Senate 43 1 (Senate amended)

House            (House refused to concur)

Conference Committee

Senate 44 0

House  93 1

Effective:  July 25, 1993