Community Birth Providers - Best Practice Guidelines

• Reference this Best Practices Flowchart for guidance on how the process should work.
• Be culturally sensitive and aware of potential cultural factors that may impact the screening process or parental acceptance of screening recommendations.
• Ensure parents understand the importance of newborn hearing screening.
• Provide information about the screening process, its purpose, and potential outcomes.
• Conduct hearing screenings shortly after birth.
• Use reliable and calibrated hearing screening equipment approved for use in newborns.
• Maintain accurate records of screening results and report results to EHDI within 7 days.
• Establish a process for timely follow-up for infants who do not pass the screening.
• For babies that refer on their initial test, a second screen may be performed before the baby is 1 month old. If babies do not pass two screens, immediately refer for diagnostic testing.
• If you do not perform screening, refer to a community site to be tested before 1 month of age.

Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Position Statement

This current 2019 document builds on prior Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) publications, updating best practices through literature reviews and expert consensus opinion on screening; identification; and audiological, medical, and educational management of infants and young children and their families.

JCIH Position Statement