Everyone Deserves Good Health Right from the Start
The State Board of Health (Board) defines and adopts rules for screening infants for heritable conditions in Washington. Board members approved to add spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to Washington's newborn screening panel in 2019. Funding to add the condition to the state’s newborn screening list was approved by state legislators during the 2020 legislative session.
At our June 10 public meeting Board members will hear your comments on the draft rule language. A rules hearing open to the public will begin at 11:05 a.m. It is your opportunity to give input on the proposed changes to the rule. Visit the rule web page to get details about the official rules hearing and how to participate.
Staff briefed the Board in April on the proposed rule changes including adding a definition of SMA, amending the list of newborn screenings to include SMA, and other administrative updates. Staff said the intention is to implement the addition of SMA starting in July 2020, but said there could be delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the meeting memo for more information or visit our April 8 meeting web page for the full list of meeting materials. To receive notices about this rule update, send us an email and we will add your contact information to the Board’s email distribution list.
Established by the state constitution in 1889, the State Board of Health has served the people of Washington for 131 years, providing leadership and advancing public health practices that protect and improve the public’s health. Our work focuses on analyzing policies, developing rules, promoting partnerships, and encouraging public engagement in the public health system.
