HOUSE MEMORIAL 89

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016

INTRODUCED BY

Terry H. McMillan

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO REPORT ON THE STATUS OF EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION IN NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, three out of one thousand children are born with a hearing loss; and

     WHEREAS, according to the American academy of audiology, hearing loss is "the most common developmental disorder identifiable at birth"; and

     WHEREAS, in addition to the impact on an individual child's education, cognitive and social development, the "under identification and lack of appropriate management of hearing loss in children has broad economic effects"; and

     WHEREAS, the American academy of pediatrics recommends that all infants should be screened for hearing loss by the age of one month; and

     WHEREAS, infants who do not pass a hearing screening should receive a comprehensive audiological evaluation by three months of age; and

     WHEREAS, the American academy of pediatrics also recommends that infants with confirmed hearing loss receive appropriate intervention services from "health care and education professionals with expertise in hearing loss and deafness in infants and young children" by the age of six months; and

     WHEREAS, the American academy of audiology cites several studies showing that early identification of hearing loss "combined with quality early intervention services is associated with language development at or near that of children without hearing loss"; and

     WHEREAS, the federal centers for disease control and prevention has adopted these recommendations in its support for early hearing detection and intervention programs at the state level; and

     WHEREAS, while New Mexico requires hearing screenings for newborns and currently mandates reporting all results of newborn hearing screenings and suspected or confirmed congenital hearing loss in one or both ears, the federal centers for disease control and prevention has determined that for 2013, the state has only collected five and one-half percent of diagnostic evaluation data; and

     WHEREAS, the ability to follow-up with diagnostic testing to confirm hearing loss and to ensure that infants receive early intervention services is dependent upon the department of health's ability to track and monitor follow-up for infants with suspected or confirmed hearing loss;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of health be requested to report on the following matters, for each calendar year beginning with January 1, 2014, to the interim legislative health and human services committee:

          A. the percentage of total newborns in New Mexico screened relative to the mean in the United States;

          B. the percentage of total infants in New Mexico who failed both initial hearing screenings and the percentage of those infants who received diagnostic testing relative to the mean in the United States;

          C. the average age at time of diagnosis confirming hearing loss for infants in New Mexico and for infants nationally;

          D. the percentage of infants in New Mexico with congenital hearing loss who received early intervention services specific to hearing loss by six months of age;

          E. for infants in New Mexico who qualified for hearing aids of any sort, the mean age at which they received them;

          F. the percentage of infants in New Mexico with a risk factor associated with hearing loss compared to the mean in the United States; and

          G. the percentage of infants in New Mexico with one or more risk factors for hearing loss who received follow-up screening or testing compared to the mean in the United States; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health report on how it obtains information regarding newborn hearing screenings, diagnostic testing of infants and early intervention services for children under three years of age who have suspected or confirmed hearing loss; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, for each calendar year beginning with January 1, 2014 and for each county, the department of health report the total number of unduplicated:

          A. newborns that received hearing screenings;

          B. newborns that did not pass hearing screenings;

          C. infants who received diagnostic testing to confirm hearing loss;

          D. infants for whom hearing loss was confirmed; and

          E. infants who received early intervention services by the age of six months; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health report on the membership, meetings and activities of its early hearing detection and intervention group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health report on such other matters as it determines would be of interest to the interim legislative health and human services committee relating to early hearing detection and intervention; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health include recommendations, if any, from its early hearing detection and intervention group regarding the state's early hearing detection and intervention program; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health make its report to the interim legislative health and human services committee no later than September 1, 2016; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of health, the chair and vice chair of the interim legislative health and human services committee and the chair of the disabilities concerns subcommittee of the interim legislative health and human services committee.

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