NERGG, Inc
Thomas Brewster, MD
Project Director

Three main initiatives:

1. A newly formed New England Public Health Genetics Education Collaborative with members from each states’ DPH genetics and newborn screening programs met in June 2005 and established a Logic model identifying common issues, needs, and concerns.  Although more priority areas were identified, the top three ranked items for funding this current fiscal year included development of a regional genetics resource directory, a family health history initiative, and a newborn screening brochure available in at least five languages.
2. Annual NERGG Educational Conference to be held November 30-December 1, 2006, hosting service providers, public health representatives and consumers to increase participation and communication. 
3. Transform the existing NERGG website, www.nergg.org, into a regional resource for both providers and consumers of genetics services.  With a web consultant, we are incorporating information from our Project Leaders, New England Newborn Screening Program and New England Consortium of Metabolic Programs, focusing not only on NBS and metabolism, but also on genetics as a whole. Each state will have a page with NBS information, meetings, support groups, contacts, links, etc.