FOR IMMEDIATE  RELEASE

CONTACT:
Rosie M. Peterson, 
SCDAA Communications Liaison
(800) 421-8453
Rpeter4000@aol.com

January 20,2004

SICKLE CELL DISEASE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES RELOCATION OF ITS NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) has announced the relocation of its National Headquarters to Baltimore-Washington, DC area in early summer, 2004. SCDAA will move to its new location at 16 Calvert Street, Baltimore, Maryland from its Los Angeles, California address, where it has been headquartered for the past 30 years. 

The new location was selected specifically to meet SCDAA future growth needs. In planning the relocation, Dr. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, The Board Chair of SCDAA stated, “It is our hope to continue providing quality services and technical support to our member organizations in addition to expanding the capacity for on-site technical training and education.” Ohene-Frempong further stated, “SCDAA, as the only national voluntary health organization addressing issues linked to individuals with sickle cell disease and related conditions, needs to become more visible and accessible as a national organization.”

The relocation will enable SCDAA to strengthen collaborations with federal agencies and continue educating national representatives and their staffs about the health and social impact of sickle cell disease. Many of the activities of SCDAA are supported by or involve federal agencies, such as the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The presence of the Association’s Executive Offices in close proximity to these agencies will facilitate easier consultation with their leadership when issues of importance to the Association arise. SCDAA will use the proximity of its new location to ensure that the leadership of these agencies becomes more familiar with the Association’s positions on issues that are pertinent to its mission. In addition, the Washington-Baltimore area is home to many national voluntary health organizations with interests similar to those of SCDAA. Being in closer proximity to these organizations will provide an opportunity for the Association to consult with these groups for joint strategies and coordinated approaches to legislative and advocacy initiatives. The relocation will also enable the Association to become a more effective voice for the member organizations and the clients they service. 

Relocation of the national headquarters of SCDAA will not affect services provided by its local member organizations. Updated information regarding SCDAA’s relocation, member organizations and resources can be accessed from the SCDAA’s website at www.sicklecelldisease.org. This site will be periodically updated with program activities, service and relocation information. 

The Board of Directors of SCDAA reassures the patients, member organizations and the general public that the mission of the Association is no less clear now than at it’s founding: “To Promote Finding a Universal Cure for Sickle Cell Disease while Improving the Quality of Life for Individuals and Families where Sickle Cell Related Conditions Exist.”