A Healthy People 2000 Goal is to reduce the age at which children with sig. hearing impairment are identified to < 12 mo. of age. Legislation was passed in RI in 1993 mandating universal newborn hearing screening for all RI infants born in 8 Hospitals. We developed a model for newborn hearing screening using Otoacoustic Evoked Emissions (OAE) facilitated by collaboration of birthing hospital, Health Dept, VNA, audiologists, and physicians with a centralized data base. We hypothesized that all normal nursery(NN) and NICU neonates could be screened and hearing impairment identified before 12 mo of age. Between 1/1/95 and 4/30/95, there were 4406 infant survivors. NICU infants had an OAE prior to discharge; those that did not pass had an immediate Auditory Brain Response (ABR) screen. NN infants also had an OAE; those that did not pass had an OAE/ABR rescreen in 2-6 wks. NN Infants who did not pass the screen ABR at 60 dB were referred for a diagnostic (Dx) ABR; those that did not pass at 30 dB were referred for a Dx Visual Reinforcemnt Audiometry (VRA). Suspect* infants have failed their 1st Dx evaluation and are awaiting a 2nd confirmatory eval. In summary, 99% of all normal nursery and NICU infants were screened, mean age of identification was 3.5 mo., and overall impairment rate was 2/1000. We conclude interagency collaboration can result in successful statewide hearing screening.Table

Table 1
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