March 30, 2000 HARKIN, SNOWE, WALSH LAUNCH MAJOR NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING PROGRAM Iowa Senator Announces Iowa to Receive $100,000 Grant to Screen Newborns and Infants for Early Detection of Hearing Loss or Deafness WASHINGTON --- Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Representative James Walsh (R-NY) today held a press conference to launch a new national newborn and infant hearing screening program in 22 states. "Newborn hearing screening will unlock many doors for deaf and hard of hearing children," said Harkin. "Early detection of hearing loss is essential to preparing deaf and hard of hearing children to thrive independently in society." Harkin announced that the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will award a $100,000 grant to the state of Iowa to screen newborns and infants for early detection of hearing loss or deafness. "I'm proud that Iowa's Child Health Specialty Clinics are one of today's recipients, and I'm confident this grant will enable them, through their 14 regional centers throughout the State, to screen all newborns, to provide even better services to families after their children are diagnosed, and to track children's progress to learn what services work best," Harkin said. 24,000 children in the United States are born every year with a hearing impairment. Many of them will not be diagnosed as hearing-impaired until after their second birthday. Joining Harkin at the press conference were former Congressman Raymond McGrath (R-NY) plus Brendan and Michelle Reilly of Maryland whose children have been helped by early detection. The grants awarded through HRSA were authorized by the "Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 1999," which Harkin, Snowe, and Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) introduced in the Senate and Walsh introduced in the House. Harkin's efforts led to the inclusion of the grants in the FY'00 LHHS Appropriations bill. Signed into law last year, the grants help States establish programs to detect and diagnose hearing loss in every newborn child and to promote appropriate treatment and intervention for newborns with hearing loss. "These grants will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. And I plan to work through the appropriations process to see that even more States receive these grants next year," Harkin said. Harkin, whose brother Frank is deaf, was the author of legislation establishing the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders. The Iowa Senator is the Ranking Member on the subcommittee that funds health programs. Harkin, who is a leader in the Senate on disability policy, was also chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the TV Chip Decoder Act. -30-