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The Mountain States Genetics
Regional Collaborative Center
Welcome | Overview | Purpose
Welcome
It is our pleasure to welcome you to The Mountain States Genetics
Foundation (MSGF). We appreciate your interest in our organization and programs, and we look forward to a rewarding and productive association.
This information will provide you with an expanded understanding of the mission of MSGF, its history and current activities. As you become better acquainted with our programs, we encourage your comments and suggestions as we grow and improve our genetics education, collaboration and public information programs to better serve the Mountain States Region and beyond.
The Mountain States Genetics Foundation is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to providing education, information and networking opportunities for consumers and medical professionals in the Mountain States Region and beyond. The Foundation operates solely through donations and grant funding, providing education, networking and information services to the Mountain States region, including the states of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Wyoming,
The Foundation’s continuing mission is to be the primary independent voice advocating and supporting education, awareness and access to medical genetics information and services in our region. We pride ourselves on providing an open forum allowing all members – consumer advocates and genetic professionals - the opportunity to participate as equals in addressing relevant genetic services and issues. To that end, the Foundation each summer sponsors an annual education conference in Denver, Colorado in July.
History
The Mountain States Genetics Foundation was founded in 1993 by Robert McCurdy, M.D., to support the programs through the Mountain States Genetics Foundation for the Mountain States Genetics Network (The Network). The Network was initiated in 1984 as one of 10 regional networks covering the nation, and originally was federally funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Although Federal funding ended in 2001, the Network continued operations under the financial administration of the Mountain States Genetics Foundation.
From 2004 – 2007, The Foundation was awarded a HRSA grant designed to support a national coordinating center through the Mountain States Genetics Foundation for regional genetic services and newborn screening collaboratives, including support for increasing the screening capacity of newborn screening programs to improve early identification of infants with hyperbilirubinemia. Although administration of the HRSA grant is now provided by the Texas Health Institute, the Foundation continues to support its mission through private resources. The new Mountain States Regional Genetics Collaborative Center separately operates focused genetics and newborn screening programs for members in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
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Overview
The Mountain States Genetics Foundation provides information and education regarding genetic services to individuals throughout the Rocky Mountain West. It participants and direct audience are comprised of physicians, nurses, laboratory professionals, genetic counselors, public health workers, and consumer advocates from university medical schools, genetic laboratories, hospitals, state and local health departments, medical societies, genetic support groups and other organizations and individuals that have a vested interest in genetics.
The eight states in our region have a combined area of 1,081,813 square miles and a population of more than 38 million people. While there are major urban areas in our region, the overall population density is about 37 people per square mile, approximately one half of the average national population density per square mile. Among the culturally diverse groups who live in our region are Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and groups from Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe.
More than 600,000 births occur annually within our region, and 3 to 5 percent of these births are complicated by a genetic condition. Consequently, as many as 18,000 infants and their families in our region will require genetic services each year. The resources to serve these families are limited within each of our eight states. Coordination and collaboration among all people concerned with genetics services, lay and professional, help to maximize the use of relatively scarce resources.
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Purpose
The work of the MSGF is carried forward in key areas of medical practice, including:
- Promote communication among genetic services providers
- Collaborate in the identification and sharing of genetics resources
- Solve problems by sharing solutions
- Coordinate services across state lines
- Explore and develop collaborative services and studies
- Improve the quality, quantity, and accessibility of genetics services within the region and beyond.
The work of the MSGF is focused in key areas of medical practice, including:
- Clinical Services
- Consumer Issues
- Education
- Laboratory Practice
- Newborn Screening
- Prenatal Diagnosis
- Public Health
- Advisory
The MSGF encourages participation, information exchange and discussion, based on his or her interest and expertise.
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