Message from the Director

Welcome to CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD). Serving as Center Director has given me a deep appreciation for how the work of my colleagues has changed the conversation and impacted the lives of the populations that we serve. Since our Center’s inception, my staff has been working to fulfill our mission of protecting those who are vulnerable to health risks, such as babies, children, people with disabilities, and people with blood disorders. Our ultimate goal is to promote health and enhance the potential for full and productive lives throughout the lifespan.

Our Programs

Everyday our scientists are engaged in:

Saving babies through birth defects prevention and research
Understanding developmental disabilities to help children live to the fullest
Protecting people and preventing complications of blood disorders
Improving the health of people with disabilities

We accomplish these goals through research, partnerships, and prevention and education programs. And by translating science into action, we provide the credible health information to consumers, health care professionals, and policymakers need to improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities, blood disorders, and birth defects.

The Future

The public health challenges that we face as a society today are complex, but our understanding of its intricacies has grown and continues to grow considerably. As the Director of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, I am proud of our work promoting the health of babies, children and adults and our continued progress in the pursuit of improved programs, research, and knowledge for the millions of Americans who live with birth defects, disabilities, and blood disorders. We are committed and will continue to evolve our programs to meet emerging public health needs, and to ensure community and partner engagement. Though our work is far from over, the foundation we have built strengthens our quest for a better tomorrow. No one group can do this. It has to happen with CDC and with our partners. The Center’s mission and CDC’s mission is not complete until the most vulnerable in our nation are safer and healthier.

I invite you to make use of the many resources and features of this website, and return frequently to see the new program offerings, capabilities, and updates that will be made on an on-going basis.