The State Board of Health (Board) defines and adopts rules for screening infants for heritable conditions in Washington. Board members voted to add spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to Washington's newborn screening panel in 2019. Funding to include the condition to the state’s newborn screening list was approved by state legislators during the 2020 session.
Board members adopted proposed amendments to the rules at our June 10 public meeting and rules hearing, directed staff to file a CR-103, and establish an effective rule date. The amended rules adds SMA as a definition and updates the list of newborn screenings to include SMA, as well as other administrative changes. The adopted rule is effective August 1, 2020.
Read more on the newborn screening rules web page. You can also subscribe to our email distribution list to get rule updates, notices about public meetings, and ways you can participate in state rulemaking.
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.
