PRINTER'S NO. 3845
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
995
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, KINSEY, DiGIROLAMO, BAKER, ROSS,
TOOHIL, KIRKLAND, COHEN, BENNINGHOFF, ROZZI, WATSON,
R. BROWN, SCHLOSSBERG, CALTAGIRONE, VEREB, FREEMAN,
MACKENZIE, SAYLOR, PHILLIPS-HILL, WARD, KIM, NEILSON,
MILLARD, DRISCOLL, J. HARRIS, LONGIETTI, TOEPEL, MURT, MAJOR,
O'BRIEN, MARSICO, PAYNE, EVERETT, GINGRICH, READSHAW AND
HENNESSEY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
A RESOLUTION
Observing September 2016 as "Newborn Screening Awareness Month"
in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Newborn screening is the practice of screening every
baby born prior to hospital discharge for certain harmful or
potentially fatal conditions that are not otherwise apparent at
birth; and
WHEREAS, Early detection of these conditions in newborns
facilitates timely interventions that result in significant
decreases in morbidity, mortality and disability; and
WHEREAS, Newborn screening is a comprehensive system that
includes testing, diagnosis, follow-up, treatment, education and
evaluation; and
WHEREAS, Every year more than 4 million newborns in the
United States and more than 140,000 newborns in Pennsylvania
undergo newborn screening; and
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WHEREAS, Newborn screening was recently named in the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention's publication entitled, "Ten
Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century"; and
WHEREAS, Newborn screening began in 1963 in the United States
with testing for phenylketonuria (PKU); and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania began newborn screening with the act of
September 9, 1965 (P.L.497, No.251), known as the Newborn Child
Testing Act, by requiring physicians, hospitals and other
institutions to administer or cause to be administered tests for
PKU and other metabolic diseases upon infants in certain cases;
and
WHEREAS, Since first enacted in 1965, the newborn screening
act has been amended three times, most recently with Act 148 of
2014, which expanded the list of required diseases for testing
from six to twelve; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the required testing, Pennsylvania
provides newborn hearing screening, testing for critical
congenital heart disease and follow-up screening and services
for other diseases; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's Newborn Screening and Follow-up
Program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of
Health; and
WHEREAS, "Newborn Screening Awareness Month" was started in
2000 by the Save Babies Through Screening Foundation, along with
several partner organizations to shine a national spotlight on
newborn screening and its detectable diseases; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives observe September
2016 as "Newborn Screening Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That the Commonwealth officially recognize the
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importance of awareness and encourage parents and future parents
to educate themselves on newborn screening and take the
necessary steps to ensure the health of their children.
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