Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 17, September 10, 2024
4.1
A.
Screening to resolve a missed screen, rescreening, audiological evaluation and
similar diagnostic testing services are not provided by the Department's
newborn hearing screening program. These services are provided through other
government agencies, community partners and private entities. Any costs
incurred for these services is the responsibility of the parent or service
provider.
The Department's newborn hearing screening program only
monitors the result of these services for the limited purpose of rapidly
connecting newborns and their families to early intervention services, and for
the purposes of program evaluation and quality improvement.
B. A parent or legal guardian, and their
newborn's participation in the follow-up services is
voluntary.
4.2
A. The Department monitors reporting pursuant
to Section 3. For screen missed and screen fail results, the Department will
send the parent or legal guardian information about the importance of screening
and screening services. This information is sent when or soon after the 30 day
reporting requirements have passed.
B. For newborns that are screened to address
a missed screen:
1. A health professional
resolves a missed screen by performing a hearing screen and reporting the
result as required by Section 3 of these rules.
2.
a. If
the result is screen pass, no further action is required but health
professionals are encouraged to provide information about value of hearing
screen later in life if there is a concern with a child's hearing, speech or
language development.
b. If the
result is screen fail, a hearing rescreen or more comprehensive hearing
evaluation as deemed necessary by the health provider, is required.
The health professional who performed the hearing screen will
provide the parent or legal guardian with the screening result, information
about the importance of newborn hearing screening and will perform the rescreen
or provide information about which providers can perform hearing rescreening.
To extent practicable, the list will identify providers that are within a
reasonable travel distance of the newborn's parent or legal guardian.
C. For
newborns that are rescreened to confirm the initial screening result:
1. A health professional performs the hearing
rescreen and reporting the result as required by Section 3 of these
rules.
2.
a. If the rescreen result is screen pass, no
further action is needed.
b. If the
rescreen result is screen fail, the health professional that performed the
hearing rescreen will refer the newborn for a comprehensive audiological
evaluation. To the extent practicable, the list will identify providers that
are within a reasonable travel distance of the newborn's parent or legal
guardian.
D.
An audiologist will provide a comprehensive hearing evaluation or diagnostic
services within the first three months of life or, for newborns that experience
delays in screening or follow-up services, as soon the need for audiological
services becomes known to the audiologist. After the evaluation is completed,
the audiologist should communicate the results of the evaluation and any
recommendations to the parent or legal guardian, and other health professionals
as authorized by the parent or legal guardian, and the Department, and; refer
the newborn to early intervention services. When the audiologist confirms that
the newborn has a permanent hearing loss, the referral for early intervention
services will occur within 48 hours. To the extent practicable, the referral
will identify early intervention service providers that are within a reasonable
travel distance of the newborn's parent or legal guardian.
E. Early intervention service providers will
submit the date of the newborn's first CO-Hear Home Visit and the date of the
initial Individualized Family Service Plan.
4.3 In addition to coordination through the
referral process, coordination among medical and audiology providers, and
families (the newborn's parent(s) or legal guardian(s) occurs when:
A. A health professional attending a birth in
a setting other than a hospital facility provides the screen result to the
newborn's primary care provider, and;
B. Individuals granted access to the health
information data system enter or review screening results, rescreening results
and audiological evaluation results as authorized in Section 5.
4.4 The Department shall monitor:
A.
1. The
number of newborns with screen pass results reported in the Electronic Birth
Certificate.
2. To the extent it
can be assessed, the number of pass results that were entered incorrectly and
subsequently corrected, and the number of days it took for the initial screen
result correction to be entered. This analysis only concerns the accuracy of
initial screen results data entry.
B. The number of newborns with missed screen
results, failed initial screen results, hearing rescreen fail results and
hearing rescreen pass results;
C.
The number of newborns that receive any follow-up services;
D. The number of newborns who are eligible
but opt to not participate in follow-up services;
E. The length of time between the last failed
screening and the first audiological evaluation;
F. The number of newborns that receive an
early intervention described in Section 4.2(E), and;
G. The length of time between the
audiological evaluation and the early intervention described in Sections 4.2(D)
and 4.2(E).
H. Such other
monitoring the Department deems appropriate to monitor the effectiveness of
newborn hearing screening program and support the statutory duties of the
Colorado Infant Hearing Advisory Committee (CIHAC) as defined in §
25-4-1004.7(2)(a)(I),
C.R.S.
4.5 The
Department may provide educational material or materials developed by the CIHAC
pursuant to §
25-4-1004.7(2)(a)(I),
C.R.S., on the Department website to assist parents, legal guardians, and
newborn hearing screening providers, coordinators and partners.
The Department may assist a health professional, parent or
guardian seeking a referral for screening, audiological evaluation or early
intervention; however, the Department cannot endorse any service provider. The
Department may provide a health professional, parent or legal guardian with the
contact information for the applicable licensing board when the individual
seeks to file a complaint.
