FASD is a Kākou Thing​

Our Mission & Vision, Founder & Team, History & Status

Mission & Vision

Our Mission is to raise awareness and build coalitions through education, advocacy, and data collection on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) to make a positive impact on individuals, their families, and the communities of Hawaiʻi.


Our Vision is to make FASD Invisible No More

Our Values

CURIOSITY

Brain-based and trauma-informed approaches can be considered and implemented even before a formal diagnosis. It’s okay to wonder about how to be helpful and supportive. Asking curious and kind questions is a good way to learn together.

COMPASSION

Working in a complex public health issue requires nuance, thoughtfulness, and trust. Alcohol use is complicated and no amount is safe to consume during pregnancy. Families and parenting are complicated, too. Let’s be gentle with ourselves and one another as we work in both community awareness for prevention and in getting people the support they need to thrive.

COMMUNITY

We believe that in Hawaiʻi we are all a part of one lāhui doing good work together. Our organization is committed to openness, cooperation, and our community…first.

Our Strategy

PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNING

The more knowledge in the community the better… less judgement, less stigma, more support, more success.

COALITION BUILDING

You and me, and everyone in between, have a place in supporting the healthy pregnancies, child development, and the overall wellness of our next generations.

TRAINING AND CONSULTATION

Never a “one and done.” A complex public-health issue like FASD will always keep us on our toes. Let’s commit to CONTINUE learning together.

DATA COLLECTION

We want to gather information for and from our own communities. From numbers to stories, the more we understand, the better we can do.

SYSTEMS COORDINATION

Across sectors, across the lifespan. It’s when systems work together that they actually work… together.

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

What we do is who we are. We aim to work ourselves out of a job, so we transform and stay nimble as the work moves forward.

Help FASD become Invisible No More!


Tell Everyone You Know
Share a Handout or Brochure
Join Social Media
Subscribe to Newsletters
Request Training and Information

 

Advocate for Each Other
Implement FASD Informed-Practices
Become a Specialist
Normalize Diagnosis and Support

 

Volunteer/Connect People
Fundraise/Donate
Work in Systems Change
Make FASD Invisible No More

Founder & Team

Ann S. Yabusaki, Ph.D., MFT

Founder & Director

 

Kenichi Yabusaki

Tresasurer

Bill Kumagai

Alan H. Shinn

President

 

Jane Onoye, Ph.D.

 

Amanda M. Luning, LMHC, IECMH-E®

Executive Director

Stephanie W. Batzer, Esq., LSW, LLM

Secretary

 

Arlina J. Wong

 

Erin Rupert

Executive Assistant

History & Status

Hawai’i Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Action Group started in Hawai’i in 2016 as a collaborative group of volunteers to conduct research, raise awareness, and promote FASD education. We partnered with The Coalition of Drug-Free Hawai’i since 2016 and FASD Communities became our fiscal sponsor in 2018.

In 2020, the HIFASDAG group of volunteers and advisors grew to over two hundred members and a decision was made to incorporate and form a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. The founders, Board, and volunteers had spent tireless hours in legislative advocacy, community training, and direct support to families, all on their own precious time for a cause they believed in.

In 2022 The Action Group received a Grant-In-Aid from the Office of Community Services and began direct exploration of the status of FASD prevalence and support needs in organizations serving families and individuals in Hawai’i.

This work led the Board to hiring their first ever Executive Director in 2024 to continue the policy and integration work necessary to explore compassion, curiosity and acknowledgement of complexity around FASD and invisible disability into our greater systems and communities.