Billy Edwards

Billy Edwards is considered one of the early pioneer in the training of attorneys around issues involving fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). He has worked with clients who have been diagnosed with FASD since 1998. Mr. Edwards currently works as a deputy public defender in Los Angeles and for 4 years wasassigned to the Los Angeles County Mental Health Court. Mr. Edwards successfully litigated one of the first cases in California where his client with FASD (with an I of 98, but very lowadaptive behavior skills)obtained services from the CaliforniaDepartment of Developmental Disabilities .In 2012, the NationalOrganization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) honored Mr. Edwards withthe highest awar by placing his name intoThe Tom and LindaDaschle Fetal Alcohol SpectrumDisorder (FASD) Hallof Fame. Alsoin 2012,he helped to draft and edit the American Bar Association’s Resolution on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which addresses the need for all people working in the criminal justice system to be aware of FASD. In 2014, he was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors with the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome based out of Washington, D.C. and, additionally, was presented in Seattle with the Dr. Ann Streissguth, Ph.D. Annual Award for Outstanding Contribution to the field of FASD and the Law, an award named after Dr. Ann Streissguth who in 1973 was the first psychologist to administer psychological testing to children that were born with FAS. In 2015, Mr. Edwards was invited to testify before the House Judiciary Standing Committee in Juneau Alaska on “Why Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders shouldbe included in the state definition of what onstitutes a developmental disability.”