Within 14 working days of receipt of the referral, the DCC makes contact with the infant’s family to assess newborn hearing screening needs and provide education to the parents, including the possible need for diagnostic testing. The DCC will coordinate needed services with the infant’s primary care provider. If the infant has an active Medicaid card, every effort should be made to enroll the infant into the RFTS Program. If the infant is not eligible for Medicaid, is not insured, or has insurance that may not cover needed audiological services, the DCC will make a referral (may be telephone contact) to Children with Special Health Care Needs via the Children’s Specialty Care Intake form (PDF).

• If upon contact with the family, the DCC is notified that the infant has already been rescreened and has passed the second screening, the DCC will bill OMCFH for the initial visit and close the case as completed, recording the results on the Newborn Hearing Screening worksheet (HS001) as appropriate. It is not necessary to make a home visit in this case scenario, but a home contact must be made in all other instances to provide the needed education and coordination of services.

If upon initial contact with the parent/guardian it is determined that an infant failed the hearing screening, the DCC will schedule a home visit. The DCC will provide the parent/guardian with information on the importance of further evaluation and collaborate with the infant’s primary care provider to facilitate an audiological evaluation*. All DCCs have access to the Audiologist Service Availability Guide, a listing of audiological service providers statewide.

• An audiological evaluation is conducted by a licensed audiologist, or a medical doctor specializing in treatment of the ear, nose and throat, ENT.

Upon completion of the audiological evaluation, the DCC will complete the Newborn Hearing Screening Follow-up form (HS001) and the Hearing Screening Provider letter (HS002). Copies of these forms are to be distributed to the appropriate entities.

If upon initial contact with the parent/guardian it is determined that an infant was not screened, the DCC will schedule a home visit. The DCC will provide the parent/guardian with information on the importance of hearing screening and collaborate with the infant’s primary care provider to facilitate hearing screening. All DCCs have access to the Audiologist Service Availability Guide, a listing of audiological service providers statewide.

Upon completion of the outpatient screening or diagnostic evaluation, the DCC will complete a follow up contact with the parent/guardian of the infant by home visit, phone call to the home, or a call to the medical provider’s office to assure that the infant was screened or diagnostic testing was completed. If diagnostic testing finds that the infant has a hearing loss, a referral will be made from the DCC to the WV Birth to Three Early Intervention program by contacting their local Birth to Three provider. Referral must also be made to the Ski*Hi Parent/Infant Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Preschoolers (Ski*Hi Referral form).

Upon case closure, the Hearing Screening Follow-up form (HS001) and the Hearing Screening Provider letter (HS002) are to be completed and copies distributed to the appropriate entities.

The DCC will make a determination as to whether all RFTS infant client’s have been screened for hearing loss. An infant has not been screened for hearing loss if:

1. Parent/Guardian has no knowledge or documentation of hearing screening (i.e. copy of Birth Score Developmental Risk-Newborn Hearing Screen, or hospital discharge),

2. Primary Care Provider has no documentation of newborn hearing screen,

3. RCC has no documentation of Newborn Hearing Screening referral,

4. Birth Score Office has no Birth Score form for infant.

If the Birth Score Office cannot obtain the infant’s Birth Score record, document the absence of hearing screening in the Progress Notes and proceed with care coordination to arrange for hearing screening/evaluation to avoid any delay in need for possible intervention.

• WV resident infants born in out-of-state facilities may, or may not, have received screening for hearing loss.