Universal Newborn Hearing Screening, Tracking and Intervention Advisory Board Arkansas Department of Health

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening, Tracking and Intervention Advisory Board

Act 1559 of 1999 established requirements for birthing hospitals’ newborn hearing screening programs and providers administering a follow-up screening or diagnostic evaluation and created the Universal Newborn Hearing, Screening, Tracking, and Intervention (UNHS) Advisory Board. The UNHS advisory board is designed to provide the state with the information necessary to effectively plan, establish, and evaluate a comprehensive system of appropriate services for children that are at risk for or identified with a hearing condition. The board is composed of seven (7) members appointed by the Governor, with recommendations from the Arkansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association, from the following professions or groups:

One (1) audiologist
One (1) audiologist from the Arkansas Department of Health
One (1) audiologist from Arkansas Children’s Hospital
One (1) speech-language pathologist
One (1) pediatrician-neonatologist or ear, nose, and throat physician
One (1) adult who is deaf or hard of hearing to represent consumer organizations for deaf and hard of hearing persons
One (1) consumer of services who is a parent of a child or children with hearing loss

As per Act 1559, the Board meets at least semiannually to carry out their business which includes:

Conducting surveillance to improve access to early hearing detection and intervention services.
Supporting the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing’s recommendations for early hearing detection and intervention by developing practice recommendations for clinicians statewide.
Connecting individuals and organizations supporting children that are at risk for or identified with a hearing condition.
Approving an annual report for the House and Senate Interim Committees on Public Health, Labor, and Welfare which provides information such as, but not limited to, the number of birthing hospitals in compliance with the Act, the number of Deaf or Hard of Hearing children identified, and the availability of follow-up services. The annual report provides a close look at hearing screening activities in birthing hospitals throughout the State of Arkansas, and results of follow-up screening, and outcome measures. Data collected by the Infant Hearing Program each year outlines the strength and weaknesses of the Program; therefore, directing the development and expansion of goals toward improvement.

Board Meetings: The board meets at 3pm on the 4th Tuesday in April and October via Zoom.

Meeting Minutes:

Resources: