Huntington’s Disease Society of America Announces Thirty-Nine 2016 HDSA Centers of Excellence

For Immediate Release Contact: Christopher Cosentino
Director of Marketing & Communications
Phone: (212) 242-1968 x229
Email: ccosentino@hdsa.org

Huntington’s Disease Society of America Announces Thirty-Nine 2016 HDSA Centers of Excellence New York, NY (February 1, 2016) - Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) is proud to announce that thirty-nine outstanding Huntington’s disease care facilities are being awarded the designation of HDSA Centers of Excellence for 2016. The 2016 HDSA Centers of Excellence program expanded to 39 Centers from 29 last year, a 25 percent increase in the reach of the program. The HDSA Centers share an exemplary commitment to bringing more comprehensive care to more HD affected families across the United States and will have more ‘boots on the ground’ with locations in 30 US states. This year, HDSA will be allocating $1,092,250 to the Centers of Excellence program which is a 38 percent increase in funding from the $790,000 awarded in 2015. “The expansion of the HDSA Center of Excellence program to nearly forty clinical care centers means that thousands of new families will have more resources and support in their fight against HD,” said Louise Vetter, HDSA’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the HD community, whose efforts make these awards possible, and thankful for the dedication and commitment to world-class care that our HDSA Centers of Excellence provide.” The HDSA Centers of Excellence provide an elite team approach to Huntington's disease care and research. Patients benefit from expert neurologists, psychiatrists, therapists, counselors and other professionals who have deep experience working with families affected by HD and who work collaboratively to help families plan the best HD care program throughout the course of the disease. Applications to become an HDSA Center of Excellence are open to all clinics in the United States who share HDSA’s commitment to high-quality, comprehensive care and access to clinical research. Huntington’s disease is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. It deteriorates a person’s physical and mental abilities during their prime working years and has no cure. Every child of a parent with HD has a 50/50 chance of carrying the faulty gene that causes HD. Today, there are 30,000 symptomatic Americans and more than 200,000 at-risk of inheriting the disease. Many describe the symptoms of HD as having, ALS, Parkinson’s and ALS – simultaneously. The Huntington’s Disease Society of America is the premier nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by HD. From community services and education to advocacy and research, HDSA is the world’s leader in providing help for today, hope for tomorrow for people with HD and their families. Support for the 2016 HDSA Centers of Excellence was made possible in part by the generosity of the Griffin Foundation. To learn more about Huntington’s disease and the work of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, visit www.hdsa.org or call (800) 345-HDSA. The 2016 HDSA Center of Excellence grantees are listed below alphabetically:
Albany Medical College (NY)
 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (MA)
 Cleveland Clinic (OH)
 Colorado Neurological Institute
 Columbia Health Sciences/NYS Psychiatric Institute (NY)
 Duke University (NC)
 Emory University (GA)
 Georgetown University (DC)
 Hennepin County Medical Center (MN)
 Indiana University
 Johns Hopkins University (MD)
 Massachusetts General Hospital
 Ochsner Health System (LA)
 Ohio State University
 Rush University Medical Center (IL)
 Stanford University (CA)
 University of Alabama, Birmingham
 University of California, Davis Medical Center
 University of California, Los Angeles
 University of California, San Diego
 University of California, San Francisco
 University of Colorado
 University of Florida
 University of Iowa
 University of Louisville (KY)
 University of Miami (FL)
 University of Nebraska Medical Center
 University of Pennsylvania
 University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (PA)
 University of Rochester (NY)
 University of South Florida
 University of Texas Health Science Center- Houston
 University of Utah
 University of Vermont, Frederick Binter Center for Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders
 University of Virginia
 University of Washington (WA0)
 Vanderbilt University Medical Center (TN)
 Virginia Commonwealth University
 Washington University School of Medicine (MO)