- History of Perinatal Substance Abuse Services
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Perinatal Alcohol and Drug Programs
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
According to the surgeon general, no amount of alcohol is safe for consumption while pregnant. The use of alcohol while pregnant is a recognized factor in infant morbidity and mortality; numerous studies show these unfavorable birth outcomes. The report, Perinatal Substance Use Screening in California, identifies the long-term impacts of substance use during pregnancy and the scope of the problem in California. Learn more
Youth and Seniors
“We are particularly concerned about our most vulnerable populations, the young and the elderly.” said Zito.
Treatment admissions for youth under 18 and seniors, over 65, has increased significantly from 1995-2006, despite a decline in publicly funded treatment admissions for the general population. According to the California Alcohol and Drug Data System, treatment admissions for alcohol dependence doubled for youth under 18, increased nearly 10 percent for adults ages 51-55, and adults over 65 experienced a 44 percent increase.
Binge Drinking
About 21 percent of all adults in California (5.8 million) are binge drinkers. Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks for men, or four or more drinks for women, on the same occasion at least once during the past month. Over 2.2 million Californians meet the criteria for alcohol dependence or abuse.
Dependence is based on the definition found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition.
Binge drinking practices begin as early as the 8th grade, and tend to increase throughout adolescence before gradually decreasing after about age 22.
This problem is both a public health and public safety issue, making it a cause for concern to all Californians.
There are national and international acknowledgements that binge drinking is a serious problem.