Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention
Goal
Our goal is to develop and sustain
a comprehensive coordinated system for Universal Newborn Hearing Screening
and Intervention (UNHSI) in Georgia in which hospitals, primary health care
providers, and Public Health work together to assure that:
- Every newborn is screened for
hearing loss prior to hospital discharge; infants not passing the initial
and a repeat screening receive appropriate diagnostic evaluation before
three months of age and, when appropriate, are referred to intervention
by six months of age;
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- Infants are linked with medical
homes and families receive culturally competent support throughout the
screening, diagnostic, and intervention processes;
- A data management system is
developed and maintained to document
- total number of births, number
of infants screened, number passed, and number referred
- number of infants with confirmed
hearing loss
- number of infants referred
to intervention services; and
- Essential information about
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening is shared with parents, physicians,
audiologists, and the general public.
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What's Happening In Georgia?
- Recent News Releases:
DHR
publishes Resource Guide for families of Children with Hearing Loss
DHR
encourages early detection of developmental delays
- Significant hearing impairment can
now be detected soon after birth, through newborn hearing screening programs
at hospitals across Georgia.
- As a result of the passage of a new
law in 1999 (O.C.G.A.
31-1-3.2) , the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Public
Health has developed and is currently implementing a statewide Universal Newborn
Hearing Screening and Intervention (UNHSI) initiative.
- The new law also created the State
Advisory Committee for Newborn Hearing Screening (SACNHS) whose evolving
membership includes pediatricians and other physicians, audiologists, parents
of deaf or hearing impaired children, adults who are deaf or hearing impaired,
nurses, legislators, hospital administrators, et. al. The Committee's mission
is to advise the Division of Public Health and to recommend a comprehensive
system of universal hearing screening for all newborns in Georgia to assure
early detection of and intervention for hard of hearing and deaf children.
In 2004, the SACNHS will focus on intervention, referral follow-up, and a
statewide system of data tracking and surveillance.
- Georgia's birthing hospitals are
now equipped with the most current technology to perform hearing screening
on newborn infants.
- Georgia's birthing hospitals have
committed to participation in the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening effort,
and have actively begun their attempts to screen all newborns before discharge.
More information about the first year of universal newborn hearing screening
in Georgia is available in the 2001
Annual Report.
- The Division of Public Health has
developed recommended guidelines for UNHSI. Hospitals
are encouraged to work with their District Public Health Director and other
community partners, such as pediatricians, pediatric audiologists, and otolaryngologists,
to develop the infrastructure for a comprehensive UNHSI system. This system
should include the following components: universal newborn hearing screening,
follow-up screening for babies who do not pass the in-hospital screen, diagnosis
of hearing loss, and linkage to intervention.
- All Georgia birthing hospitals are
now required to report the numbers of newborns screened, the numbers who passed
the screening, and the numbers of those screened who did not pass, on a quarterly
basis. In addition, hospitals are required to report to Public Health, through
the Children 1st Coordinator in each health district, any newborn who does
not pass the hearing screening, to assure that babies are linked to the follow-up
services they need.
- The state office for UNHSI collects
and compiles screening data from all Georgia birthing hospitals each quarter.
Data from calendar year 2003 indicated over 98% of Georgia's newborns had
received a hearing screening prior to hospital discharge.
- Despite the intiative being in its
infancy, Georgia's hospitals are showing an overall "refer" rate of under
4%. Many hospitals, especially those who have been screening for longer, have
"refer" rates as low as 1% to 2%, showing very efficient screening programs.
- As of July 1, 2001, all licensed
hospitals and physicians in Georgia are required to educate their patients
about newborn hearing screening. Free UNHS brochures are available from the Public
Health, Universal Hearing Screening and Intervention Program in English,
 Spanish,
Korean,
and
Vietnamese.
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