2012 Consumer Task Force on Newborn Screening Request for Applications | Genetic Alliance

2012 Consumer Task Force on Newborn Screening Request for Applications

FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
September 28, 2011   Contact: Elizabeth Stark
202-966-5557 x207
estark@geneticalliance.org

2012 Consumer Task Force on Newborn Screening Request for Applications
Genetic Alliance Launches Consumer Task Force

WASHINGTON, DC – September 28, 2011 – Genetic Alliance relaunched the Consumer Task Force on Newborn Screening today and is currently accepting applications. The Consumer Task Force on Newborn Screening was created to engage a range of stakeholders from the public with an interest in newborn screening policies, activities, and current events.

The two components of the 2012 program are training and project implementation. Members of the Task Force will be trained on issues relevant to newborn screening and will create projects targeting groups who typically are under-informed about the importance of newborn screening. Members will receive a $1,500 stipend that can be applied to the implementation of their projects. A key tool for these projects will be http://www.babysfirsttest.org/. After serving on the Task Force, members will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to continue work on newborn screening programs or other maternal and child health-related issues.

No previous newborn screening experience is necessary, only a drive to learn about and positively impact the newborn screening system. Upon completion of Task Force activities, members will receive a certificate acknowledging the training they received. For more information and to complete the Request for Applications, please visit www.babysfirsttest.org/innovation. Applications are due October 20th.
Natasha Bonhomme, project director of Baby’s First Test said, “ Public engagement is key to the success and sustainability of newborn screening. Members of the public and advocacy organizations continue to shape policies and educational efforts at the state and national level. The Consumer Task Force program is a vital tool to support and expand these efforts”.
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Genetic Alliance transforms health through genetics, promoting an environment of openness centered on the health of individuals, families, and communities. Genetic Alliance brings together diverse stakeholders that create novel partnerships in advocacy; integrates individual, family, and community perspectives to improve health systems; and revolutionizes access to information to enable translation of research into services and individualized decision making. For more information about Genetic Alliance, visit http://www.geneticalliance.org/.

2012 Consumer Task Force on Newborn Screening Request for Applications Genetic Alliance