Q: What is
the DSHPSHWA?
The Directors of Speech and Hearing
Programs in State Health and Welfare Agencies (DSHPSHWA) was established
in 1964 to promote awareness about communication disorders and the
continued development of public health programs for the diagnosis and
treatment of these disorders. Today, the organization is active in
national maternal and child health issues and includes members from
nearly every state. Starting in the 1980s DSHPSHWA became involved with
newborn hearing screening programs and through collaboration with the
CDC a list of EHDI data items or elements was agreed upon in 1999. This
list of data items has been used by DSHPSHWA to develop a survey that is
sent annually to representatives in state and territory EHDI programs.
Data from the annual DSHPSHWA surveys are available on the EHDI website:
http://www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/ehdi/data99_04.htm
[Return to
FAQs]
Q: How
many states have mandated newborn hearing screening as well as those
screening without a mandate?
As of November 2008, 43 states, Guam,
Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have newborn hearing screening
legislation with 29 of these laws mandating hearing screening for all
infants. The specific requirements of the legislation vary by state.
For further information on state EHDI legislation please refer to the
NCHAM site:
http://www.infanthearing.org/legislative/index.html
[Return to
FAQs]
Q: What
is the process for updating the state information in the CDC EHDI State
Profile?
To update your state’s information,
please send a detailed email with updates to ehdi@cdc.gov
[Return to
FAQs]
Sorry, we can't give you medical advice. Please talk
with your doctor for questions about yourself or your family. For other
information, please contact ehdi@cdc.gov
[Return to Top]
Date: September 1, 2006
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
