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Currently, 45 states and the District of Columbia have Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) laws or voluntary compliance programs that screen the hearing of 95% or more of newborns. Forty states have laws and five states have voluntary programs.
ASHA led the fight for EHDI and is focusing on the need at both the state and federal levels to enact legislation that promotes evaluation and intervention after hearing screening for newborns and infants. Although more than 90% of all newborns are now screened for hearing loss before leaving the hospital, many still do not receive needed follow-up services. Only about one-half of the babies referred from newborn hearing screening programs receive diagnostic evaluations by three months of age. Moreover, only about half of those diagnosed with hearing loss are enrolled in early intervention programs by six months of age.
For information about advocacy, visit ASHA's Legislation & Advocacy Web page or contact Jim Potter (federal legislation) at jpotter@asha.org. This is one of the last articles that Charlie Diggs, ASHA's director of consumer advocacy, reviewed before his untimely passing on July 31. Diggs made significant contributions to EHDI legislation. See the appreciation and obituary on pages 46 and 47.
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