Thriving Together: A Decade of Growing FASD/PSE Care in Nevada
As the Ackerman Center celebrates 10 years of providing multidisciplinary care in our community, we are reflecting on how far our work with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Prenatal Substance Exposure (PSE) has come. What began as a significantly underfunded diagnostic clinic, sometimes able to evaluate only a few children each year, has grown into collaborative partnerships with our courts, school district, and family services department, along with continued education and consultation for professionals and families. Most importantly, we have moved beyond diagnosis and education to develop our Center’s first treatment intervention program specifically designed to address the needs of both youth with FASD/PSE and their families: Thriving Together: Resilient Pathways Forward.
Reducing stigma is an important part of this work. In Nevada, 28.1% of pregnancies are exposed to alcohol, nearly double the national average. While prevention remains critically important, FASD and PSE are not 100% preventable. Once prenatal exposure has occurred, recognizing its impact should not be a source of blame or shame. Instead, it provides an opportunity to better understand the child, adolescent, or adult and provide the treatment, accommodations, supports, and understanding needed to thrive within their community.
And we are not finished. Looking ahead, we are exploring additional training and consultation opportunities for foster care homes, youth residential and detention settings, and opportunities to intervene earlier with very young infants and toddlers who have experienced prenatal substance exposure and their parents/caregivers. The goal is to continue building a more informed and responsive community of care.
Group Therapy for Youth AND Caregivers
Families raising children with FASD/PSE often face ongoing challenges with regulation, learning, behavior, mental health, relationships, and daily functioning. Yet families may struggle to find services that address the whole child and family together.
A defining feature of Thriving Together is that youth and caregivers are both active participants in the intervention. Youth participate in their own psychotherapy group while caregivers participate in an aligned caregiver group. Both groups learn, practice, and problem-solve around the same core concepts in developmentally appropriate ways.
A Foundation in FASD/PSE
Youth first learn about FASD/PSE and how neurodevelopmental differences may affect their brain, emotions, energy, learning, relationships, and everyday life. Then they practice through developmentally appropriate discussion, experiential activities, role-play, and hands-on problem-solving.
Caregivers do much more than receive information. They explore how FASD/PSE affects everyday functioning – for themselves and their child, discuss real-life challenges, share experiences, and collaboratively problem-solve with other caregivers and clinicians. They practice recognizing dysregulation, adjusting expectations, identifying accommodations, building on their child's strengths, and responding in ways that support connection rather than shame.
The Three Pillars in Action
At the heart of Thriving Together are three interconnected pillars: Regulation, Strengths & Strategies, and Healthy Relationships, all with a foundational understanding of the effects of FASD and PSE. The program also incorporates prevention-focused strategies to strengthen protective factors and reduce risk for future substance misuse among youth with FASD/PSE.
Regulation
Youth learn to recognize their energy and emotional states and practice regulation strategies through play and activities. Caregivers learn about arousal and co-regulation and how their responses can support regulation. Together, families develop a shared language for understanding what is happening before, during, and after challenging moments.
Strengths & Strategies
Youth identify their strengths, interests, and successful strategies while practicing ways to address areas where they need support. Caregivers learn to build on their own strengths, identify their child’s strengths and develop individualized strategies, accommodations, and environmental supports for their child and family. The question shifts from “Why won’t they?” to “What do they need to be successful?”
Healthy Relationships
Youth practice communication, connection, perspective-taking, problem-solving, and relationship skills. Caregivers explore attunement, attachment, communication, and repair. Both learn that relationships are a critical source of regulation, resilience, and confidence.
Beyond Group
To date, Thriving Together has completed three cohorts and attendance rates are high – families and youth want to be here with us learning ways to improve their quality of life.
For us, this program represents the next step in a decade of growth creating a community that better understands and supports children and families with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Prenatal Substance Exposure.
With Hope, Determination and Collaboration,
Dr. Julie Beasley and Dr. Holly Summers and Thriving Together Team at the Ackerman Center!
Join Us September 9th for Thriving Together: Resilient Pathways Forward
In recognition of International FASD Awareness Day, join us September 9th for Thriving Together: Resilient Pathways Forward, a NEW, evidence-informed approach designed to support youth living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)/Prenatal Substance Exposure (PSE) and their caregivers.
Presented by Dr. Julie Beasley, Child Neuropsychologist, and Dr. Holly Summers, Licensed Psychologist, the event will share what we’re learning through Thriving Together, including program data, family feedback, and real-world outcomes.
Wednesday, September 9
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
PDS Health | 2460 Paseo Verde Parkway, Ste. 145, Henderson
No cost to attend
Join us to learn more about this innovative approach, connect with others in our community, and explore resilient pathways forward for youth and families.
This program is supported in part by Fund for a Resilient Nevada.