BISMARCK, North Dakota — .
President Donald Trump has made the opioid crisis a signature feature of his presidency, and it’s likely to figure into his reelection campaign. With bipartisan support, he has boosted treatment, research and prevention, including directing millions to help babies exposed to narcotics in the womb. And that doesn’t cover the cost of prisons and jails, which is where a lot of people with FAS end up.Marc Young has been jailed three times since his 18th birthday last July and was homeless for most of last year. He spent much of his childhood in treatment centers, often far from home, and he struggles with developmental disabilities, aggressive behavior and mental health challenges.
But the financial pressures began before Trump. The Obama administration in 2015 quietly gutted a small federal program overseen by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that helped individuals and families affected by fetal alcohol syndrome. A spokesperson for the agency, known as SAMHSA, said the issue is no longer in its purview.
An annual meeting of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome last September was a small affair by Washington standards. Gathered in a cramped room in a basement of an old Washington hotel, about two dozen advocates — many parents of kids with fetal alcohol syndrome — discussed big ideas like asking the U.S. surgeon general to issue a call to action, or launching a class action lawsuit with injured families in the same vein as the massive opioid litigation.
Marc, who has shared his story with POLITICO by phone and text messages, knows he’s “always going to be stuck with it” and wants to get help, when and where he can find it. “If you stick on your own,” he said in one recent phone call, “I kind of think that’s how it gets worse.” “We lived with locks on everything,” said his dad. “Our food pantry had a lock. The freezer had a lock ... Because he would either steal food or he would steal knives.”
“There’s no money for families and there’s not enough help professionally for us — families or the child,” said Jeff Holt, who is raising his grandson, Marcus, with FAS in Grand Forks, North Dakota. “The more rural we are, the less help there is.”
AlcoholPolicyON alcoholawareness What is shocking is Trump himself warned-Alcohol kills,and is much worse than cigarettes,and he would like to see lawyers pay attention, and sue the Alcohol companies for the terrible harm it causes,including FASD
AlcoholPolicyON alcoholawareness Interesting as Donald Trump himself warned-Alcohol kills,and is much worse than cigarettes,and if elected he would come down tough on Alcohol,and he would like to see lawyers sue the Alcohol companies,for the terrible harm it causes!~
AlcoholPolicyON alcoholawareness Did you know Donald Trump himself spoke out that Alcohol kills, and is much worse than cigarettes,which is true, so where is his leadership now for America's most harmful drug?
politico is partnered w chinese govt. Fact!
Bu wasn’t the opioid crisis overlooked by the Obama administration because it was a white problem? Addiction is horrible, stop the flow of drugs from China and Mexico. And just watch, marijuana use will become the next crisis.
Trump's brother died of alcoholism. You think he's forgotten?
Drinking while pregnant is more harmful to babies than drugs! Fetal alcohol syndrome is horrible. A woman should be held accountable for injuring her child permanently! Take baby away!
It is not high profile enough or enough tv coverage to merit Trump's attention.
Alcohol is Trump's fault
Yeah I rarely hear anyone reference FAS anymore.
is this seriously about trump in any way shape or form? really?
At what point will state governments take charge of their own mess? My goodness.
AWESOME job at spinning a positive thing into Trump’s fault!! Wicked
Not enough of a news maker for Trump. Won't grab enough headlines. You think Trump cares? Ha Ha Ha.
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