(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) Recent newborn screening innovations are considered among the greatest public health achievements of the twenty-first century; (b) Scientific research has demonstrated that newborn screening not only saves lives and improves developmental outcomes but also contributes to cost savings for families, health-care systems, and the state; (c) Newborn screening includes conditions for which diagnosis and treatment must be implemented in a timely manner in order to achieve maximum benefit for the child; (d) Newborn screening is an appropriate public health function to provide necessary educational services to health-care providers, families, and communities so that appropriate resources and information are available; (e) Newborn screening is a public health function that identifies newborns at risk of certain conditions or hearing loss, as well as newborns who do not receive screening, and appropriately connects them to care; (f) An effective newborn screening program is dependent upon a strong system of education and coordination among primary care providers, hospitals, specialty care providers, patient and family support organizations, public health laboratory staff, and public health professionals; (g) State policy regarding newborn screening and genetic counseling and education should be made with full public knowledge, in light of expert opinion, and should be constantly reviewed to consider changing medical knowledge and ensure full public protection; (h) Participation of persons in newborn screening programs or genetic counseling programs in this state should be wholly voluntary, and all information obtained from persons involved in these programs in the state must be held strictly confidential. Family participation in the follow-up support and assistance services is voluntary. (i) Hearing loss occurs in newborn infants more frequently than any other health condition for which newborn infant screening is required; (j) Eighty percent of the language ability of a child is established by the time the child is eighteen months of age, and it is vitally important to support the healthy development of language skills; (k) Early detection, early intervention, and treatment of hearing loss in a child are highly effective in facilitating a child's healthy development in a manner consistent with the child's age and cognitive ability; (l) Children with hearing loss who do not receive early intervention and treatment frequently require special educational services, which, for the vast majority of children in the state with hearing needs, are publicly funded; and (m) Appropriate testing and identification of newborn infants with hearing loss will facilitate early intervention and treatment and will therefore serve the public purposes of promoting the healthy development of children and reducing the need for additional public expenditures.
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