Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals | Bruce Greenstein, Secretary

About Louisiana's EHDI ProgramHISTORY:  The Louisiana EHDI program (LA EHDI) began in 1994 with a handful of professionals and volunteers who successfully sponsored legislation mandating newborn hearing screening on all infants at-risk for hearing loss. Further legislation passed in 1999 and signed into law in 2000 mandated hearing screening on all infants born in, or transferred to, a facility in Louisiana. Funding for this effort was not appropriated by the state; therefore there is a strong need to build a system in the communities utilizing other stakeholders/shareholders to continue this effort. Funding is currently provided through grants from the federal government. Hospital screening programs form the basis for all statewide early hearing detection efforts and all birthing hospitals in the state were legislatively mandated to perform universal newborn hearing screening as of April 1, 2002.

PURPOSE: Early identification and intervention have proven to positively affect the development of children who are deaf or head of hearing. The purpose of this program is to assure that a statewide system of services that are coordinated, comprehensive, family-centered, community-based and culturally sensitive are available to families.

1-3-6 PLAN: The goal of the 1-3-6 plan is that all newborns will be screened for hearing loss no later than 1 month of age, and all infants who screen positive will have a diagnostic audiologic evaluation no later than 3 months of age, while infants identified with hearing loss will receive early intervention services no later than 6 months of age.

Why Is Early Identification of Hearing Loss Important?

• Hearing loss is the most frequently occurring birth defect.
• One to three of every 1,000 newborns have a permanent hearing loss.
• The average age of identification of a hearing loss in the absence of newborn hearing screening is 2-3 years of age.
• Research has shown that infants who are identified with a hearing loss early and begin appropriate intervention services before six months of age have better language, speech and social skills than children whose hearing loss is identified later. Many progress at a rate comparable to those with normal hearing.

LEGISLATION/RULES AND REGULATIONS

• Louisiana Identification of Hearing Impairment in Infants Law (Act 653 amended statutes July 1, 1999 and Act 417 July, 1992 combined)
• Louisiana DHH Revised Procedures for Identification of Hearing Impairment in Infants Law (April, 2002)
• Louisiana Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids (ACT 816-2003)