Rare Disorders: Research, Surveillance, Health Promotion, and Education

To (1) Promote public health capacity by conducting research to expand the knowledge base around people with complex disabling conditions, including muscular dystrophy, fragile X syndrome and spina bifida across the lifespan, with the goal of improving their health and quality of life; (2) apply lessons learned to design public health approaches for other childhood onset complex disabling conditions; (3) develop and disseminate information from surveillance and epidemiologic research, identifying intervention strategies for secondary conditions; (4) assess access to and costs associated with health care these conditions; (5) collaborate with partners in the public and private sector to support the development of standards of care and improve health care and related services for people with complex disabling conditions; (6) deliver technical assistance to public and private organizations, universities and local and state agencies on accessing factors affecting medical, functional, and psychosocial outcomes; (7) provide leadership in health education and promotion in people of all ages who have complex disabling conditions and their families; and (8) support partners in facilitating early identification of these diseases and adoption of effective interventions.