Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2008
Floor Speech
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(H.R. 1198) to amend the Public Health Service Act regarding early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1198
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. EARLY DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF HEARING LOSS.
Section 399M of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g-1) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``INFANTS'' and inserting ``NEWBORNS AND INFANTS'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``screening, evaluation and intervention programs and systems'' and inserting ``screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems, and to assist in the recruitment, retention, education, and training of qualified personnel and health care providers,'';
(B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) To develop and monitor the efficacy of statewide programs and systems for hearing screening of newborns and infants; prompt evaluation and diagnosis of children referred from screening programs; and appropriate educational, audiological, and medical interventions for children identified with hearing loss. Early intervention includes referral to and delivery of information and services by schools and agencies, including community, consumer, and parent-based agencies and organizations and other programs mandated by part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which offer programs specifically designed to meet the unique language and communication needs of deaf and hard of hearing newborns, infants, toddlers, and children. Programs and systems under this paragraph shall establish and foster family-to-family support mechanisms that are critical in the first months after a child is identified with hearing loss.''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) To develop efficient models to ensure that newborns and infants who are identified with a hearing loss through screening receive follow-up by a qualified health care provider. These models shall be evaluated for their effectiveness, and State agencies shall be encouraged to adopt models that effectively increase the rate of occurrence of such follow-up.
``(4) To ensure an adequate supply of qualified personnel to meet the screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and early intervention needs of children.'';
(3) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``hearing loss screening, evaluation, and intervention programs'' and inserting ``hearing loss screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``for purposes of this section, continue'' and insert the following: ``for purposes of this section--
``(A) continue'';
(ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) establish a postdoctoral fellowship program to foster research and development in the area of early hearing detection and intervention.'';
(4) in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (c), by striking the term ``hearing screening, evaluation and intervention programs'' each place such term appears and inserting ``hearing screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs'';
(5) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``ensuring that families of the child'' and all that follows and inserting ``ensuring that families of the child are provided comprehensive, consumer-oriented information about the full range of family support, training, information services, and language and communication options and are given the opportunity to consider and obtain the full range of such appropriate services, educational and program placements, and other options for their child from highly qualified providers.''; and
(B) in paragraph (6), by striking ``, after rescreening,''; and
(6) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``fiscal year 2002'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2009 through 2014'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``fiscal year 2002'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2009 through 2014''; and
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``fiscal year 2002'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2009 through 2014''.
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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act.
Sadly, thousands of infants are born with a hearing loss each year. Fortunately, thanks to the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program that was established in 2000, today approximately 93 percent of all newborns are screened. Many infants with hearing loss and their families have benefited from early identification of hearing loss. The EHDI program allows babies with hearing loss to develop normally and lead productive lives by ensuring that they will be ready to learn when they enter school.
However, many infants who are identified as having a hearing disability due to the screening tests do not receive timely follow-up care because of shortages in trained professionals needed for infant hearing screening programs. We must do better in ensuring that infants and their families have access to comprehensive hearing loss care. The bill seeks to accomplish this by presiding comprehensive information about family support, training, and information services to the family of children identified with hearing loss and ensure that they are given the opportunity to consider all the options of early intervention services, educational and program placements.
This legislation will improve on the successful Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program. I urge my colleagues to vote for this much needed bill.
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