|
Mission
To assure that services
for individuals with sickle cell disease and related hemoglobinopathies are
available, acceptable, and accessible.
History
The Sickle Cell Anemia
Society of Arizona, Inc. (SCASA) was founded in 1977 as a voluntary,
non-profit corporation with a goal of providing statewide services to
individuals with hemoglobin diseases. The founding board members had been
prior members of the Citizen=s Advisory Committee to the Arizona Department of Health
Services Sickle Cell Anemia Program. The Society has goals of assisting
individuals with genetic hemoglobin diseases through the development and
promotion of services, education, counseling, and advocacy.
Since its inception, the
Society has heavily relied on the dedication of a select cadre of volunteer,
dedicated professionals to further its services and activities, either by
service on the Board of Directors, or other volunteer activities, which have
included community and professional education and fundraising. These
volunteers have included physicians, nurses, social workers, educators,
ministers, counselors, community development workers, attorneys, community
activists, family members, and various other interested individuals.
The Society has provided
counseling services under a State Health Department contract since 1986,
with services which have been available, acceptable, and accessible to
clients. Meeting sites for the sessions have been variable at the choice of
the client, and are provided at the office of the Society, in the client=s
home, or at a place of mutual convenience. Most counseling concerns
hemoglobin trait disorders, with ascertainment via the state=s
Newborn Screening Program.
In Arizona, new variant
hemoglobin incidence occurs with approximately 25% Caucasian, 27%
African-American, 27% Hispanic, 3% Asian-American, 2% American-Indian, 16%
other, with the ethnic distribution constantly changing.
|
