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The Feingold Service at Mass General for Children

Providing diagnosis and treatment for children born with genetic disorders, rare diseases, and physical and intellectual challenges.

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The Feingold Center for Children (now The Feingold Service at Mass General for Children) was established in 1982 to provide diagnosis and treatment to children born with genetic disorders, rare diseases, and challenges throughout the New England area. The Feingold Model of Coordinated Care exists to offer coordinated care, bettering the lives of the patients, and easing the difficulties caregivers experience after receiving a diagnosis of a genetic disorder or rare disease.

Clinical Care

Since many of the children treated at Mass General for Children (MGfC) require the care of numerous specialists, the Intake and Triage Coordinator arranges appointments as much as possible to decrease the necessity for frequent trips.

The Feingold Model of Care, exemplified by the staff at MGfC, focuses on providing more, in-depth time with families. Specialists at the hospital understand how important it is to truly listen to parents’ concerns and take the time to get to know the whole child, not just focus on the diagnosis. Additionally, the staff works directly with insurance companies to help families get coverage for any necessary, specialized testing. When test results are back, staff have face-to-face reviews to explain them in a way that’s easy to understand. The Feingold Center works collaboratively to provide additional care from specialists or address any therapy and educational needs, as well as the social and emotional needs of the entire family.

The funds provided by The Genesis Foundation allow our clinicians and staff to continue this comprehensive and unique Feingold Model of Coordinated Care.

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Genetic Counseling

Genetic Counseling is offered to prospective parents who are concerned about the possibility of genetic diseases occurring in their children. Patients who may benefit from genetic counseling include:

  • Those wishing to discuss a condition that runs in their family.
  • Couples who have a child with a genetic condition and have questions before having their next child.
  • Those who have had genetic testing or screening previously and need additional information or education in understanding those results.
  • Couples wishing to learn more about assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
  • Women who will be 35 years of age or older at the time of delivery.
  • Parents who have concerns about exposures to medications, drugs, alcohol, chemicals, or other agents during pregnancy.
  • Couples with infertility or multiple pregnancy losses.
  • Couples who would like pre-conceptual counseling before pursuing pregnancy either naturally or via reproductive technology.

To make an appointment with one of our doctors for a medical care visit at any of these clinic locations or to learn more about them, please call (617) 726-1571, email jlauck@mgh.harvard.edu, or fill out the form below.

*NOTE: If you have questions about our therapeutic programming and informational services, please check out our Therapeutic Programs and/or MothertoBaby – MA page. 

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Clinicians and staff at both Mass General for Children and MotherToBaby are dedicated to training the next generation of care providers and educating the public in general.

The Feingold Service Staff

Catherine Bearce Nowak, M.D.

Dr. Nowak has over 30 years of experience caring for children born with rare diseases and physical or intellectual challenges. She is a board-certified clinician in Clinical Genetics (ABMGG). Particular areas of interest include dysmorphic syndromes, cleft lip/palate, overgrowth disorders, autism spectrum disorders and conditions with intellectual disability. She received her medical degree from McGill University and completed residency in Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Dr. Nowak then completed a fellowship in Clinical Genetics at The National Birth Defects Center. After practicing clinical genetics for 8 years at The Feingold Center for Children, Dr. Nowak served as the Chief of the Division of Genetics at UMass-Memorial for four years before returning to The Feingold Center. She also practiced clinical genetics at Boston Children’s Hospital for 11 years.

Dr. Nowak spent much of her career at The Feingold Center for Children, the brainchild of Dr. Murray Feingold, who saw the importance of spending in-depth time with families to truly listen to parents’ concerns and to get to know the whole child rather than focus only on diagnosis. The mission of the Feingold Center was to work collaboratively with families of children with rare disorders to coordinate their multiple specialty appointments and to address issues such as insurance coverage, educational/therapy concerns as well as the social and emotional needs of the entire family. A network of satellite clinics allowed care close to home. After Dr. Feingold passed away and The Feingold Center closed, Dr. Nowak continued this “Feingold Model of Care”. In 2022, Dr. Nowak joined the Division of Genetics and Metabolism as Clinical Director and brought with her The Murray Feingold Coordinated Genetic Service supported by a grant from The Genesis Foundation for Children. She currently sees patients at: Mass General for Children Genetics Program in Boston and Mass General for Children – Waltham. She also plans to start seeing patients at Mass General Satellite in Sandwich, MA.

Dr. Nowak has been named as a Top Doctor in Boston and has also been recognized as an Exceptional Woman in Medicine. She is the Medical Director of the Mother-to-Baby MA program that educates the public and the medical community about the importance of avoiding potentially harmful exposures during pregnancy. She serves as the medical advisor to The Genesis Foundation for Children.

Dr. Nowak’s professional mission is to improve the lives of her patients and ease the difficulties experienced by parents and caregivers juggling their child’s complex needs.

The Feingold Service Staff

Jenny Lauck

Jenny Lauck is the Intake and Triage Coordinator for The Feingold Center. She obtained her BS in Biology from Simmons College. She pursued graduate-level coursework in genetic counseling at Brandeis University. Jenny provides assistance with care coordination and patient advocacy. She has been with the Center for 11 years.