Academy Submits Comments on EHDI Program

In response to a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Academy submitted comments in July on the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program. HRSA solicited public input on a series of questions to inform future EHDI program development. 

Funded and administered by the CDC and HRSA, the EHDI program supports state-based screening and early intervention programs that have been instrumental in increasing newborn screening rates to 98 percent by 2019. The Academy has been a long-time advocate for the EHDI program, including reauthorization efforts.

Comments by the Academy underscored the value of the program and provided recommendations for enhancing the outcomes of improved screening, diagnosis, and early intervention consistent with family-centered, evidence-based practice. The Academy recognizes members Ursula Findlen, PhD; Gina Hounam, AuD; and Anna Jilla, AuD, PhD, as primary contributors to drafting the Academy comments.