(a) Each institution, as defined in section 19a-490, that provides childbirth service shall, not later than July 1, 2000, include a universal newborn hearing screening program as part of its standard of care and shall establish a mechanism for compliance review. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any infant whose parents object to hearing screening as being in conflict with their religious tenets and practice.

(b) The Department of Public Health shall establish a plan to implement and operate a program of early identification of infants who are hard of hearing. The purpose of such plan shall be to: (1) Identify infants at high risk of having hearing impairments; (2) notify parents of such infants of the risk; (3) inform parents of resources available to them for further testing and treatment, including rehabilitation services for such infants; and (4) inform parents of financial assistance available through the Department of Public Health, including, but not limited to, parental eligibility criteria, which may result in reduced cost or no cost to parents for testing, evaluation or treatment, including rehabilitation of such infants. The department shall develop such plan in consultation with persons including, but not limited to, pediatricians, otolaryngologists, audiologists, educators and parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

(c) The Commissioner of Public Health shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to implement the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

(P.A. 81-205, S. 2, 3; P.A. 82-472, S. 61, 183; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 9, 88; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 36, 72; P.A. 00-27, S. 10, 24; P.A. 17-202, S. 69, 74.)

History: P.A. 82-472 made technical changes; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 added new Subsecs. (a) and (c) re newborn hearing screening, designating existing Subsecs. (a) and (b) as Subsec. (b); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “1999” with “2000”, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-27 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective May 1, 2000; P.A. 17-202 amended Subsec. (b) to replace “infant hearing impairment” with “infants who are hard of hearing”, and replace reference to deaf and hearing impaired children with reference to children who are deaf and hard of hearing.