University of Washington selected as Center of Excellence!

The Chapter is very pleased to announce that the University of Washington has been selected as an HDSA Center of Excellence. HDSA will be providing the university with annual grants which will support a wide variety of services to persons with Huntington's Disease, their families and caregivers.

What is a Center Of Excellence?

Centers of Excellence are stable regional centers providing high quality clinical care and services to individuals affected by Huntington's Disease (HD) and their families. In addition to clinical and family services, Centers of Excellence provide professional and lay education and are involved in HD clinical research. Centers of Excellence are designed to provide comprehensive multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic services for HD individuals and their families. Services are centered around an organized HD clinic in which an individual's needs are determined; plans are made to fulfill those needs and sufficient follow-up is provided. A Seattle Times newspaper article about the University of Washington Center of Excellence can be found here

Center of Excellence Social Worker

A highly trained social worker, Donna Harris is available to meet with individuals and families to discuss Huntington's Disease testing, provide consultation about the progression of Huntington's Disease and make referrals for medical care. Donna answers the Chapter Helpline (1-888-264-HDSA) and provides referrals for medical genetic testing. She also provides training to adult-family homes and skilled nursing care facilities.

Additional contact information for Donna is as follows:
phone: (206)598-8753
email: donnagr@u.washington.edu