Newborn Screening Programs

We support newborn screening programs all over the country.

Newborn screening (NBS) can find serious but treatable health conditions early in a baby’s life. Early detection makes sure that babies get the care, treatment, or help they need as soon as possible, when it can work best.

We help states improve their NBS systems to test babies for certain medical conditions. We want all states to screen babies for conditions recommended by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. For those with a condition, we want them to get the care and services they need throughout their lives.

Awards

Our NBS work includes funding for:

• The HRSA Newborn Screening Information Center website
• The State Newborn Screening System Priorities Program
  • Read the closed funding opportunity notice (HRSA-23-065) for details.
• The Cooperative Newborn Screening Systems Priorities Program
  • Read the closed funding opportunity notice (HRSA-24-052) for details.
• The National Center for Newborn Screening System Excellence
  • Read the closed funding opportunity notice (HRSA-23-077) for details.

Other HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) programs also support NBS systems, like our sickle cell programs and our early hearing detection and intervention programs.

Our reach

NBS reaches nearly all babies. That is nearly 4 million babies born each year.

We coordinate the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children, which gives national recommendations to make the NBS system better.

Our funding to improve NBS programs reaches 35 states and 4 U.S.-affiliated jurisdictions. To learn about NBS in your state, visit Newborn Screening in Your State. Other funding helps all states and U.S.-affiliated jurisdictions.

Our Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant helps improve the screening, diagnosis, and treatment systems for children.

How this portfolio of newborn screening works

To make sure NBS programs are complete, we provide:

• Education: The Newborn Screening Information Center website
• Program development and enhancement through:
  • NBS Propel and NBS Co-Propel programs
  • Sickle Cell Disease Programs
  • Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
• National recommendations: We support the Secretary’s Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, a national guideline for newborn screening (NBS).
• Technical assistance: We fund a national center called NewSteps that gives data, expert advice, and training to all NBS programs.

HHS Secretary’s Recommended Uniform Screening Panel

The RUSP (PDF - 196 KB) is a list of disorders that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends for states to screen as part of their state universal newborn screening (NBS) programs.

It is recommended that every newborn be screened for all disorders on the RUSP. Although states ultimately determine what disorders are screened for, most states screen for the majority of disorders on the RUSP. Newer conditions are still in process of adoption. Some states also screen for additional disorders.

Government partners

We work together with other federal government efforts. Together, we make the public health system for NBS stronger.

These government agencies play important roles:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) helps make sure national NBS programs meet quality standards. The CDC creates and improves NBS tests and provides expert knowledge for lab testing to find rare diseases.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates and oversees tests for specific conditions. They make sure tests are accurate.
• The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development supports research and creates new public health methods, therapies, and treatments. Relevant research programs include rare disease and genetics/genomics.
• The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality works within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and with other partners to make sure information about NBS is understood and used.

More information

News & events

Stay up to date with MCHB: sign up for newsletters.

Jobs

Find open positions with HRSA.

Contact us

Need more information, or have a specific question about this program? Contact us at NBSprograms@hrsa.gov.