ASHA Applauds House Passage of
H.R. 4365, "Children's Health Act of 2000"
(ROCKVILLE, MD-May 11, 2000) The American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a national professional
health and scientific association for more than 98,000 audiologists,
speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing
scientists, applauded the passage of H.R. 4365, the Children' s
Health Act of 2000. Introduced by Congressman Michael Bilirakis
(R-FL) and Representative Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the Chairman and
Ranking Democrat of the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment
of the House Commerce Committee, the bill passed the U.S. House of
Representatives late Tuesday.
H.R. 4365 contains numerous
provisions important to providing health care to children and to
research on children' s health issues. One critical provision of the
bill extends the authorization for the Newborn Hearing Screening and
Intervention Act of 1999 for an additional two years. Currently
authorized for three years beginning this year, the legislation
provides for state grants that support early hearing detection and
intervention programs.
"We are grateful to the members of
Congress who have provided leadership on this issue," said ASHA
President Jeri Logemann. "We know that Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA) received more than 40 applications from
states, but were able to fund programs in only 22 states. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which will be
announcing grants sometime this summer, is also expected to receive
more grants than they can fund. Additional funding authorized by
H.R. 4365 would help immensely because the need is great." Recent
clinical research from the University of Colorado confirms the price
of late identification of hearing loss. Data from the study
emonstrate the impact of late identification of hearing loss on
language, speech, and social and emotional development.
"With
appropriate early detection and intervention, these infants have the
opportunity to develop on par with their hearing peers by the time
they reach school age or sooner," said Logemann.
In addition to federal funding for state grants to develop infant
hearing screening and intervention programs, the Newborn Hearing
Screening and Intervention Act, introduced by Representative Jim
Walsh (R-NY), also directs HRSA, CDC, and the National Institute on
Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) to work together
to link screening programs with community-based intervention
efforts, monitor the impact of early detection and intervention
activities, and provide technical assistance on data management and
applied research.
Presently 27 states have passed legislation
requiring newborn hearing screening and legislation is pending in 12
additional states. "Through this surge of new state laws that will
expand coverage for early hearing screening and intervention
services, and the continued support provided by Congress, we can
eradicate late detection of hearing loss within the next five
years," said Logemann.
ASHA is the national professional,
scientific, and credentialing association for more than 98,000
audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language,
and hearing scientists. Audiologists specialize in preventing and
assessing hearing disorders as well as providing audiologic
treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists
identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including
swallowing disorders. This year marks ASHA's 75th anniversary-75
years of quality and dedication to the identification, treatment and
prevention of communication disorders.
Find out more about early
hearing detection and intervention.
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