109 HR 5250 IH: Early Hearing Detection and U.S. House of Representatives 2006-04-27 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5250 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 27, 2006 Mr. Walsh (for himself, Mr. Ryun of Kansas, Mrs. Capps, Mrs. McCarthy, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. McHugh, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Pastor, Mr. Foley, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Farr, Mr. Bachus, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Sweeney, Mr. Kuhl of New York, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Reynolds, Mrs. Kelly, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, and Mr. Gene Green of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act regarding early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2006.

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, infants, and young children; (2)in subsection (a)— (A)in the heading, by striking newborn and infant and inserting newborn, infant, and young child; (B)in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking newborn and infant hearing screening, evaluation and intervention programs and systems and inserting newborn, infant, and young child hearing 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,; and (C)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, infants, and young children; 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, and young 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. ; (D)in paragraph (2), by striking newborn and infant and inserting newborn, infant, and young child; and (E)by adding at the end the following: (3)To develop efficient models to ensure that newborns, infants, and young children who are identified with a hearing loss through screening are not lost to 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 reduce loss to follow-up. (4)To ensure an adequate supply of qualified personnel to meet the screening, evaluation, and early intervention needs of children. ; (3)in subsection (b)— (A)in paragraph (1)— (i)by striking the term newborn and infant each place such term appears and inserting newborn, infant, and young child; and (ii)in subparagraph (A), by striking hearing loss screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and inserting hearing loss screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs; (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 newborn and infant hearing screening, evaluation and intervention programs each place such term appears and inserting newborn, infant, and young child hearing screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention programs; and (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 early intervention services, educational and program placements, and other options for their child from highly qualified providers.; and (B)in paragraph (6)— (i)by striking newborn and infant and inserting newborn, infant, and young child; (ii)by striking newborns and infants and inserting newborns, infants, and young children; and (iii)by striking , after rescreening,; and (6)in subsection (f)— (A)in paragraph (1)— (i)in the heading, by striking newborn and infant and inserting newborn, infant, and young child; and (ii)by striking fiscal year 2002 and inserting fiscal years 2007 through 2012; (B)in paragraph (2), by striking fiscal year 2002 and inserting fiscal years 2007 through 2012; and (C)in paragraph (3), by striking fiscal year 2002 and inserting fiscal years 2007 through 2012.