Founded in 2005, MCJG has counseled and screened over 5,000 individuals in Arizona since our inception. Our community has a higher rate of prenatal testing than other cities due to our local service – we find some incidence of genetic mutations in 82% of those tested! The Center has three programs. Prenatal recessive gene testing, BRCA founder mutation testing and referral program, and the BRCA positive support network. All three programs are staffed with volunteer medical staff as well as a network of people that have be afflicted by the mutations that are willing to provide support to others.
For testing, saliva testing kits may be mailed free of cost to those who use insurance and highly subsidized to others, not exceeding $25 per kit. We are fully virtual if desired and can screen or provide medical support on-demand as requested. MCJG has always had an onsite physician and genetic counselors who are volunteers for the Center.
They provide the medical orders for the testing and provide counseling and follow up resources. Our experience has shown that many people in the screening target age range do not have a personal physician or if they do, not one who is willing to order the desired or required testing.
We provide one-on-one genetic counseling before testing, either in person or by phone. Many times, the genetic counselor will order additional testing (at no additional cost to the individual being screened) based on the pre-testing discussion. Our genetic counselors review the testing being suggested with the patient to ensure they are getting the proper tests, then deliver the results to the patient they have already counseled.
This highly personalized service has always been a hallmark of our program. Testing panels increase in size every year. We believe that a detailed discussion with each patient is required to ensure they are getting the panel that best suits their needs and ancestry. By providing free or highly subsidized test kits, we have provided a benefit to Jewish couples that when/if they are in a place of means, will be more inclined to “pay it forward” with donations, whether to our organization or to those that support us.
