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HRET Health Research & Educational Trust of New Jersey
ResearchOngoing Projects
Newborn Screening Education
Table of Contents:
Project Overview
Since July 2001, New Jersey's newborn blood screening program has expanded from four to 14 screens. Recently, screening for a new condition, covering an additional six subcategories of illnesses, has been approved and added, effective September 2003, as an effort to prevent mental retardation and other disabling conditions in children. Following these changes, a crucial need was expressed by the Governor's Newborn Screening Panel and medical/public health professionals for a massive education campaign on this enhanced screening program targeting both parents and clinicians.
In response to the panel's recommendation and recognized needs, HRET initiated an educational campaign on the enhanced newborn blood and hearing screening programs. Over a three-year period HRET plans to develop and distribute a variety of resources for prospective/new parents and healthcare professionals and to evaluate their effectiveness. The project builds on HRET's previous newborn screening initiative ("Bring Your Baby Back") and its major goal is to prevent mental retardation and other serious medical conditions caused by certain newborn genetic disorders by providing education on newborn screening to parents and healthcare professionals through a variety of channels.
During the Year 1 of this project (2003), HRET accomplished the following objectives:
- Produced newborn blood and hearing screening videotape for parents, in English and Spanish, which is generic enough to enable its use in other states;
- Created a New Jersey-specific newborn screening poster in five languages; and,
- Developed the content for the state's newborn blood and hearing screening Web page.
These resources are culturally sensitive, factual and designed for all educational levels.
During Year 2 (2004), HRET will implement the following objectives:
- Duplicate resources developed in Year 1 and widely distribute throughout the state and nationally;
- Create and distribute a brochure to accompany the video that includes information on newborn blood and hearing screenings and a listing/description of all disorders screened in New Jersey (mandated and supplemental), as well as their treatment;
- Send copies of the video and posters to all New Jersey clinicians and facilities that provide prenatal care; and,
- Plan a newborn screening conference to increase awareness about the topic and issues and to promote and distribute these resources.
In Years 2 and 3, the effectiveness of resources will be evaluated, as their distribution continues. A comprehensive evaluation plan has been developed to obtain feedback from parents, measuring their understanding about newborn blood and hearing screenings, and from clinicians, assessing their perception of the effectiveness of these resources.
An advisory committee of clinicians, educators and parents is helping to steer the project.
Implementation of the project's activities has been supported by grants from the March of Dimes New Jersey Chapter, the New Jersey Department of Human Services - Office for Prevention of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services - Special Child, Adult and Early Intervention Services, Newborn Biochemical Screening Program.
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Educational Resources
For more information please call 609-275-4145 or use the order form to order the following resources.
- "Newborn Screening: Protecting Your Baby’s Health" VHS (NJ Specific) (2004) (Available in English and Spanish)
- "Newborn Screening: Protecting Your Baby’s Health" DVD (NJ Specific) (2004) (Available in English and Spanish)
- Newborn Screening brochure (English/Spanish) (2004)
- Newborn Screening information card (2004) (Available in English and Spanish)
- Newborn Screening poster (2004) (Available in English, Spanish, French-Creole, Arabic and Chinese)
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Publications
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Related Links
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services - Special Child, Adult and Early Intervention Services:
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