| Eight states and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Islands have received grants worth more than $1.2 million to
implement universal newborn hearing screening programs, HHS
Secretary Tommy Thompson announced today.
With today’s awards, 44 states, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands have received
grants totaling more than $7.2 million. Additionally, the
American Academy of Pediatrics received a $150,000 award to
get their members more involved in screening programs.
Newborn screening programs support hospitals and birthing
facilities in choosing screening equipment, training newborn
hearing professionals, managing data, and educating physicians,
parents and hospital staff. The programs emphasize the importance
of early diagnosis and treatment by pediatric health professionals,
who urge that hearing diagnoses be made by the time an infant
is 3 months old. Hundreds of hospitals operate hearing screening
programs, but only about 65 percent of newborns are screened
for hearing loss before being discharged.
Grants announced today go to:
- Arkansas Dept. of Health, $110,286;
- State of Connecticut, $199,217;
- Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, $73,497;
- Florida Dept. of Health, $158,554;
- Maine Dept. of Health, $72,485;
- Maryland State Dept. of Health, $168,242;
- Washington State Dept. of Health, $173,059;
- West Virginia Dept. of Health and Human Services, $158,872;
and the
- Wyoming Dept. of Health, $92,575.
HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration administers
the screening program.
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