Virginia Law

A. The Virginia Newborn Screening System consists of three components: (i) Virginia Newborn Screening Services, (ii) Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program, and (iii) Virginia critical congenital heart disease screening.

B. Virginia Newborn Screening Services.

1. Mission. The Virginia Newborn Screening Services prevents intellectual disability, permanent disability, or death through early identification and treatment of infants who are affected by selected inherited disorders.

2. Scope of services. The Virginia Newborn Screening Services provides a coordinated and comprehensive system of services to assure that all infants receive a screening test after birth for selected inherited metabolic, endocrine, and hematological disorders as defined in Regulations Governing Virginia Newborn Screening Services, 12VAC5-71.

These population-based, direct, and enabling services are provided through:

a. Biochemical dried bloodspot screening tests.

b. Follow up of abnormal results.

c. Diagnosis.

d. Education to health professionals and families.

e. Expert consultation on abnormal results, diagnostic testing, and medical and dietary management for health professionals.

Medical and dietary management is provided for the diagnosed cases and includes assistance in accessing specialty medical services and referral to Care Connection for Children.

The screening and management for specified diseases are governed by Regulations Governing Virginia Newborn Screening Services, 12VAC5-71.

3. Criteria to receive Virginia Newborn Screening Services. All infants born in the Commonwealth are eligible for the screening test for selected inherited disorders.

4. Goal. The Title V national performance measures, as required by the federal Government Performance and Results Act (P.L. 103-62), are used to establish the program goals. The following goal shall change as needed to be consistent with the Title V national performance measures:

All infants will receive appropriate newborn bloodspot screening, follow up testing, and referral to services.

C. Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program.

1. Mission. The Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program promotes early detection of and intervention for infants with congenital hearing loss to maximize linguistic and communicative competence and literacy development.

2. Scope of services. The Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program provides services to assure that all infants receive a hearing screening after birth, that infants needing further testing are referred to appropriate facilities, that families have the information that they need to make decisions for their children, and that infants and young children diagnosed with a hearing loss receive appropriate and timely intervention services. These population-based and enabling services are provided through:

a. Technical assistance and education to new parents.

b. Collaboration with physicians and primary care providers.

c. Technical assistance and education to birthing facilities and those persons performing home births.

d. Collaboration with audiologists.

e. Education to health professionals and general public.

Once diagnosed, the infants are referred to early intervention services. The screening and management for hearing loss are governed by the regulation, Regulations for Administration of the Virginia Hearing Impairment Identification and Monitoring System, 12VAC5-80.

3. Criteria to receive services from the Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program.

a. All infants born in the Commonwealth are eligible for the hearing screening.

b. All infants who are residents of the Commonwealth and their families are eligible for the Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program.

4. Goals. The Title V national performance measures, as required by the federal Government Performance and Results Act (P.L. 103-62), are used to establish the program goals. The following goals shall change as needed to be consistent with the Title V national performance measures:

All infants will receive screening for hearing loss no later than one month of age, achieve identification of congenital hearing loss by three months of age, and enroll in appropriate intervention by six months of age.

D. Virginia critical congenital heart disease screening.

1. Mission. Virginia critical congenital heart disease screening promotes early detection of and intervention for newborns with critical congenital heart disease to maximize positive health outcomes and help prevent disability and death early in life.

2. Scope of services. Newborns receive a critical congenital heart disease screening 24 to 48 hours after birth in a hospital with a newborn nursery, as provided in §§ 32.1-65.1 and 32.1-67 of the Code of Virginia and the regulations governing critical congenital heart disease screening (12VAC5-71-210 through 12VAC5-71-260). These population-based, direct, and enabling services are provided through:

a. Critical congenital heart disease screening tests using pulse oximetry or other screening technology as defined in 12VAC5-71-10;

b. Hospital reporting of test results pursuant to § 32.1-69.1 of the Code of Virginia and 12VAC5-71-240; and

c. Follow-up, referral processes, and services, as appropriate, through Care Connection for Children.

3. The screening and management for newborn critical congenital heart disease are governed by 12VAC5-71-210 through 12VAC5-71-260 of the Regulations Governing Virginia Newborn Screening Services.

4. Criteria to receive critical congenital heart disease screening. Except as specified in 12VAC5-71-220 C and 12VAC5-71-260, all newborns born in the Commonwealth in a hospital with a newborn nursery shall receive the screening test for critical congenital heart disease 24 to 48 hours after birth using pulse oximetry or other screening technology.

5. Goal. Except as specified in 12VAC5-71-220 C and 12VAC5-71-260, all newborns born in the Commonwealth in a hospital with a newborn nursery shall receive appropriate critical congenital heart disease screening 24 to 48 hours after birth.