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:
- National recommendations: We coordinate the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC). This group of independent experts recommends which conditions states should test babies for.
- Technical assistance: We fund a national center called NewSteps that gives data, expert advice, and training to all NBS programs.
In support of the Blueprint for Change
The Blueprint for Change for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs is a HRSA framework to make sure every family can get what their child needs so that they can play, go to school, and grow up to become a healthy adult. Our NBS programs follow the Blueprint by working with states and other partners to help children with special health care needs get services.
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.
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Contact us
Need more information, or have a specific question about this program? Contact us at NBSprograms@hrsa.gov.