An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Working Group To Study the Effectiveness and Timeliness of Early Identification and Intervention for Children with Hearing Loss in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2295
Amends: 22 MRSA §8822

Legislative Document 
No. 2295 
H.P. 1655 
House of Representatives, April 2, 2008 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Working Group 
To Study the Effectiveness and Timeliness of Early Identification 
and Intervention for Children with Hearing Loss in Maine 
Reported by Representative NORTON of Bangor for the Working Group To Study the 
Effectiveness and Timeliness of Early Identification and Intervention for Children with 
Hearing Loss in Maine pursuant to Joint Order, H.P. 1513. 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §8822, sub-§4-A is enacted to read: 
4-A. Follow-up appointment with an audiologist. Upon the approval of a parent 
of a newborn who is screened and receives a screening result of "refer," the birthing 
hospital or birthing center in which the child was born shall schedule the newborn for a 
follow-up appointment with an audiologist. 
That follow-up appointment must be 
scheduled prior to discharge and the hospital or center shall notify the newborn's primary 
care provider in writing prior to discharge. 
Sec. 2. Report on barriers to access to audiologists. The Newborn Hearing 
Program, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, chapter 1686 shall report to 
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human 
services matters on the results of its study of barriers to access to audiologists for the 
continued evaluation of hearing loss in newborns. 
SUMMARY 
This bill implements the unanimous recommendations of the Working Group To 
Study the Effectiveness and Timeliness of Early Identification and Intervention for 
Children with Hearing Loss in Maine. 
The bill requires a birthing hospital or birthing center, upon the approval of a parent 
of a newborn whose hearing is screened and receives a result of "refer," to schedule the 
newborn for a follow-up appointment with an audiologist. That appointment must be 
scheduled prior to discharge, and the birthing hospital or center shall notify the newborn's 
primary care provider in writing of such a referral prior to discharge. 
The bill also requires the Newborn Hearing Program within the Department of Health 
and Human Services to report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over health and human services matters on the results of its study of barriers 
to access to audiologists for the continued evaluation of hearing loss in newborns. 
FISCAL 1\OT£ l<i:.(jl Jj.{t~'J 
(See attached) 
Page I - 123LR3598(Ol)-1 
Approved: 03/31/08 frac 
LD ;):2.. 9 S' 
LR 3598(01) 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Working Group To Study the Effectiveness and 
Timeliness of Early Identification and Intervention for Children with Hearing Loss in Maine 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Original Bill 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Any additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services can be absorbed by the department utilizing 
existing budgeted resources. 
LR3598(O 1) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1