NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING, TRACKING, AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM

(a) A birthing facility, through a program certified by the department under Section 47.004, shall perform, either directly or through a referral to another program certified under that section, a hearing screening for the identification of hearing loss on each newborn or infant born at the facility before the newborn or infant is discharged from the facility unless: (1) the parent declines the screening; (2) the newborn or infant is transferred to another facility before the screening is performed; (3) the screening has previously been completed; or (4) the newborn was discharged from the birthing facility not more than 10 hours after birth and a referral for the newborn was made to a program certified under Section 47.004 at another birthing facility or operated by a physician or other health care provider. (a-1) The birthing facility shall inform the parents during admission that: (1) the facility is required by law to screen a newborn or infant for hearing loss; and (2) the parents may decline the screening. (b) The department or the department's designee shall approve program protocols. (c) Subject to Section 47.008, the department shall maintain data and information on each newborn or infant who receives a hearing screening under Subsection (a). (d) The department shall ensure that intervention is available to families for a newborn or infant identified as having hearing loss and that the intervention is managed by state programs operating under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.). (e) The department shall ensure that the intervention described by Subsection (d) is available for a newborn or infant identified as having hearing loss not later than the sixth month after the newborn's or infant's birth and through the time the child is an infant unless the infant has been hospitalized since birth. (f) If a newborn or an infant receives medical intervention services, including a hearing aid or cochlear implant, the intervention specialist shall report the results of the intervention to the department.