All babies should be screened at birth for metabolic, genetic, hearing and heart disorders so that they can get the services they need as early as possible. Even infants that appear perfectly healthy at birth can have a disorder. If caught early and given the right services, most infants with metabolic, genetic, hearing and/or heart disorders can grow up healthy. Newborn screening is quick and easy - requiring only a hearing, dried blood spot, and pulse-oximetry test - and is performed soon after a baby’s birth, and in most cases, while the baby is still in the hospital.
In 2025, a rulemaking was passed to implement Title III (Comprehensive Newborn Screening) of the Act, as amended by Section 2 of the Better Access for Babies to Integrated Equitable Services Amendment Act of 2020, effective June 20, 2020 (D.C. Law 23-118; D.C. Official Code § 7-858.03), by specifying the procedures hospitals and birthing facilities must follow to report on selected clinical quality measures and ensure compliance with comprehensive newborn screening and hospital discharge requirements for newborns delivered or cared for at a hospital or a birthing facility in the District of Columbia.
DC Health supports three newborn screening programs to ensure that all infants are screened and to ensure early identification and connection to timely and appropriate follow-up services for health conditions that can adversely impact an infant’s health and development through newborn dried blood spot (metabolic), hearing screening, and critical congenital heart disease screenings:
DC Newborn Metabolic Screening Program (DC NMS) is designed to ensure that all infants born in the District of Columbia are screened at birth for 45 metabolic and genetic disorders that are treatable by diet, vitamins and/or medication, or by anticipatory measures to prevent attacks, as well as to ensure any infant with abnormal results receive timely and appropriate follow-up and services.
DC Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (DC EHDI) Program (Newborn Hearing Screening) is designed to ensure that all infants born in the District of Columbia get a newborn hearing screening before they are discharged from the hospital (or before they are 1 month of age). Infants that do not pass the initial and repeat screenings will be evaluated and linked to hospitals, primary health care providers, and other outpatient facilities and community settings for appropriate testing and treatment.
DC Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) Screening Program is designed to ensure all infants born in the District of Columbia are screened at birth for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) and to ensure any infant with abnormal results receive timely, appropriate follow-up and services.
If your child has an abnormal screen or did not receive a dried blood spot (metabolic), hearing or CCHD screening before leaving the hospital, or if you would like more information, call Help Me Grow at 1-800-MOM-BABY or 1-800-666-2229.