FAS team members chosen

Team members have already been selected for the Mat-Su Fetal Alcohol Diagnostic Team, and now all that is standing in the way is grant funding, which will be announced later this month.

The team is one of six that have applied for funding through the state. Two will be selected. Should the Valley not receive funding, the team can still provide some services to the Valley.

"All of these people have shown a big commitment, and they are jazzed about the team," said Roxana Sawyer, a mother and FAS advocate.

Team members selected, pending grant funding, are:

Dr. Milton Lum. He has been a pediatrician in the Valley since 1986, and has experience in rural and urban settings. Lum and his employer, Providence Matanuska Health Care, support efforts to bring ongoing treatment for those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and diagnostic capabilities to the Valley. Lum has a varied pediatric background, including the important aspect of advocacy for families managing the intricacies of their special-needs children.

Sawyer, a parent advocate. A Valley resident for 22 years, Sawyer and her husband have six children, four of whom are adopted and have varying special needs due to prenatal alcohol exposure. Sawyer is a family advocate who says she is motivated by her personal family experiences and eager to help other families.

Marianne J. Thompson, occupational therapist. With a a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and a bachelor's in psychology, Thompson's experience and area of interest is in pediatric clientele, teaching rehabilitation and activities of daily living. She has served on several multidisciplinary teams and been involved in program planning/implementation.

Sandra Lane, a licensed master's-level social worker. She is employed by the city of Wasilla as a youth court probation officer for 12 years. She also has the experience and expertise of being a nationally certified level II chemical dependency counselor.

Dorothy Erickson, disabilities coordinator for RurAL CAP. She and her husband live in a house they built on her in-laws' homestead in Palmer. She has experience not only with FAS issues, but also with being a team member on the RurAL CAP FAS Early Decisions collaboration team. Coordinating disability services between eight infant learning programs, 14 school districts and service providers has given her opportunities to coordinate nearly every aspect of disability services.

Beth Shales, public health nurse. She has a long-standing interest in both prevention and diagnosis of FAS, with both a bachelor's degree in nursing and an associate's degree in developmental disabilities. Having worked in both rural and urban settings, she is aware of how to maximize community resources.

Kimberly Bergey, Chugiak Children's Services, Palmer Child and Family Development Center (alternate team member). Bergey has worked in many areas of the state and has seen the need for diagnostic capabilities at the local level. She is an experienced teacher who has a genuine concern for students and families.

The alternate team member position is funded through private donations.