LHH Advocacy: NEWS FROM THE NYC COUNCIL

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FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening Intervention Act of 1999
Signed into law!
On March 18, 1999, Congressman James Walsh (R, NY) introduced the Newborn Infant and Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 1999. In May, 1999, Senator Olympia Snowe (R, ME) introduced the companion bill in the Senate. At the end of the legislative session, ten years after it was first introduced in Congress, federal appropriations committees in both the House and Senate earmarked new funding for newborn hearing screening. The language was included in the Omnibus Appropriations bill President Clinton signed in November, 1999.
This legislation will provide federal seed money for states to set up hearing screening programs for newborns in hospitals. It will go a long way toward ensuring that hearing loss present at birth will be detected. This is the critical step in helping deaf and hard of hearing infants develop to their fullest potential.
The League for the Hard of Hearing Applauds Congress and President Clinton for their foresight in providing funds for newborn hearing screenings.
Three in 1,000 newborns have some hearing loss. That's a higher ratio than other medical conditions for which we currently test children. The earlier a hearing loss is identified the earlier a child can begin to develop age appropriate language and speech. For a $30 dollar test, families will have the kind of information they need to provide the best care for their children.
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening is a long-awaited goal of the League. We are thrilled we are on the road to having every newborn baby in the country screened for hearing loss.
We urge you to write letters to your U.S. Congress Member and to your U. S. Senators thanking them and applauding them for enacting this legislation.
We also urge everyone to encourage your local hospitals to provide newborn hearing screenings. Newborn screening is not mandated by this law, but Congress is providing seed money to support these programs. We hope every medical facility providing services to newborns and infants will take advantage of this new funding source.
We thank those of you who sent letters to members of Congress in support of the Walsh and Snowe bills. Now, we wish you all the best in getting your local hospitals to provide newborn hearing screenings.

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