States Georgia
Conditions Screened
Georgia currently screens for 37 conditions
The Georgia Program
Each state runs its program differently, for more detailed information please visit their website here.
Download Brochure
Here is a brochure for the state of Georgia. Brochure >>
What Conditions are Screened For in Georgia?
Amino Acid Disorders
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Citrullinemia, Type I (CIT)
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Classic Phenylketonuria (PKU)
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Homocystinuria (HCY)
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Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
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Tyrosinemia, Type I (TYR I)
Endocrine Disorders
Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
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Carnitine Uptake Defect (CUD)State preferred name: Carnitine transport defect
Hemoglobin Disorders
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Hemoglobinopathies (Var Hb)State preferred name: Various other hemoglobinopathies
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S, Beta-Thalassemia (Hb S/ßTh)
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S, C Disease (Hb S/C)
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Sickle Cell Anemia (Hb SS)
Lysosomal Storage Disorders
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Mucopolysaccharidosis Type-I (MPS I)
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Pompe (POMPE)State preferred name: Glycogen storage disease type II
Organic Acid Conditions
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Glutaric Acidemia, Type I (GA-1)
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Isovaleric Acidemia (IVA)
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Propionic Acidemia (PROP)
Other Disorders
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Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)State preferred name: X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)
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Biotinidase Deficiency (BIOT)
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Classic Galactosemia (GALT)
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Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
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Hearing loss (HEAR)
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Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)State preferred name: Spinal muscular atrophy due to a homozygous deletion of exon 7 in the SMN1 gene
Search Educational Resources
Looking for resources? Check out our Newborn Screening Education and Training Resource Center.
About Newborn Screening in Georgia
Program Overview:
The Georgia Newborn Screening Program is committed to protecting and improving the health of all infants by assuring all newborns receive appropriate screening, follow-up, and medical services. The Newborn Screening Program screens for disorders detectable at birth, including metabolic disorders, hemoglobin disorders, immunodeficiencies, endocrine conditions, hearing loss, and critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). A sample of the infant’s blood is collected by pricking the newborn’s heel and collecting a few drops of blood on filter paper 24 to 48 hours after first feeding or prior to the infant’s discharge from the birthing facility if the infant is discharged before 24 hours of age. Then the newborn screening card is sent to Georgia Public Health Laboratory for testing. The screenings for hearing loss and CCHD are non-invasive point of care tests and performed by the hospital or birthing center before a newborn is discharged.
Approximately 7-10 days after birth, the newborn screening results are shared with the submitting hospital of birth and the doctor listed on the screening card. If your child’s newborn screening comes back abnormal, your doctor will contact you to discuss the next steps. Since the impact of these conditions can be decreased as soon as treatment begins, it is very important that your doctor has a current phone number and address so they can reach you. If they do reach out, follow their instructions immediately.
How is Newborn Screening Paid for in Georgia?
The Department of Public Health charges parents a $80.40 screening fee. Screening services will not be denied to any Georgia newborn based on inability to pay.
Policies and Resources
Opt-Out:
Every infant born alive in Georgia shall receive newborn screening, unless the infant’s parents or legal guardians object in writing on the grounds that such tests and treatment conflict with their religious beliefs.
Support for families:
One of the concerns some families may have when they find out their child has a condition detected through the newborn screening program is the increase in health care costs.
Fortunately, Georgia law allows the Department of Public Health to use state and or federal funds, including the Maternal Child Health Title V block grant, to provide services for children who suffer from the conditions detected through newborn screening. Children’s Medical Services, Babies Can’t Wait, and Children 1st are all programs designed to help support families who have a child with a genetic condition or birth defect.
Children’s Medical Services (CMS) program supports families caring for children with special health care needs. CMS works with healthcare providers and community partners to make sure children and youth with chronic medical conditions have access to timely and quality healthcare services
THE CMS PROGRAM:
- Supports improved health and wellness for children and youth with special health care needs from birth to 21 years of age
- Provides early and continuous screening for children with special health care needs
- Connects children and youth to a medical home and adequate health insurance
- Help families manage their appointments and follow-up treatments with health care providers and vendors
- Shares community resources with families
- Supports adolescents moving from pediatric to adult health care
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE CMS PROGRAM?
Children and youth, birth up to 21 years of age, who
- Have an eligible chronic medical condition such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida and sickle cell disease
- Live in Georgia
- Household income must be less than 247% of the Federal Poverty Guideline
- Children who are enrolled in Medicaid or PeachCare, receive SSI, or are in foster care are financially eligible for CMS services.
WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH CMS?
CMS serves as the payor of last resort for the following direct services:
- Comprehensive physical evaluations
- Durable medical equipment
- Medications and supplies
- Diagnostic testing
- Genetic counseling
- Inpatient/outpatient hospitalization
WHERE ARE SERVICES LOCATED?
CMS services are offered statewide in 20 local CMS program offices. To find your local CMS office search the Women and Children Service Finder on the CMS website: https://sendss.state.ga.us/ords/sendss/!mch.coord_search
Babies Can't Wait (BCW) is Georgia's statewide early intervention program that offers a variety of coordinated services for infants and toddlers with special needs, from birth to three years of age, and their families. Part C early intervention builds on and provides support and resources to assist family members and caregivers to enhance children's learning and development through everyday learning opportunities.
BCW serves Georgia children from birth up to their third birthday, regardless of income, who meet one of the following criteria:
- Have a diagnosed physical or mental condition that is known to result in a developmental delay, such as blindness, Down syndrome, autism, spina bifida (Category 1) or;
Have a diagnosed developmental delay confirmed by a qualified team of professionals (Category 2).Find a Babies Can't Wait (BCW) program in your county by using the Early Intervention Coordinator Locator. Visit www.dph.ga.gov/babies-cant-wait for more information.
Children 1st is the single point of entry for all of the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Child Health programs, including Babies Can’t Wait, Children’s Medical Services, and Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI). Children 1st links children birth to five years of age, to early intervention services, children with special needs programs, community resources, and other DPH programs to meet the developmental and resource needs of the child and their family to ensure optimal health and development of the child. Children 1st is available in each of DPH’s 18 public health districts and 159 counties. Participation is voluntary and there are no financial requirements for enrollment into the program. To find your local Children 1st office search the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Locator on the DPH website:https://sendss.state.ga.us/ords/sendss/!mch.coord_search . For more information on Children 1st, please visit www.dph.ga.gov/children1st.
Storage and Use of Dried Blood Spots:
Upon receipt by the Georgia Public Health Laboratory, DBS cards are either stored refrigerated (2-8oC) or at ambient temperature (18-25oC) until testing is completed. After testing is finished, the DBS cards are stored in a walk-in refrigerator in low gas-permeable, zip-closure bags with desiccant and humidity indicator cards and CDC quality assurance materials (base and elevated DBS cards) as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) until disposed of.
All DBS cards are retained for 16 weeks after testing is completed to allow for re-analysis if questions arise concerning the test results. Specimens that are determined to be presumptive positive for any of the diseases included in the newborn screening panel are stored for at least one year.
Any parent/guardian who desires to have his/her infant’s newborn screening specimen (presumptive positive or confirmed case) destroyed twelve weeks after completion of testing may request such action in writing. Any parent/guardian who desires assurance that his/her infant’s specimen has been destroyed after completion of testing may request confirmation of such action in writing.
ACCESS
Georgia Public Health Laboratory is a secure facility. Access to newborn screening specimens is restricted to Georgia Public Health Laboratory staff involved with specimen receipt, testing, data entry, and laboratory management only.
USE OF SPECIMENS
Residual DBS specimens and associated demographic information are used to support essential NBS program functions such as NBS program evaluation, quality assurance, result verification, test refinement, and quality improvement initiatives. Retained DBS cards and associated demographic information can be used for the following purposes:
- Laboratory quality control, quality assurance, and improvement
- Verification of equipment calibration
- Evaluation of equipment, reagents, and methods of newborn screening tests for conditions approved for screening by the program.
- Validation of equipment and screening methods
- Internal method development and method validation studies, including the setting of appropriate cutoffs or normal ranges.
- Quality assurance audits and gap analysis.
- For a project of public health importance deemed to be research or non-research for the purpose of public policy or health care operations that has been reviewed and approved by the Georgia Department of Public Health as described below.
De-identified NBS DBS samples may be sent to another laboratory when the reason for sending the sample is:
- Participation in a specimen exchange program designed to improve the quality of testing in newborn screening laboratories; or
- Collaboration with another laboratory in developing or validating a newborn screening method. This use requires a statement from the laboratory requesting the specimens that specifies how the specimens will be used, and written approval from the GPHL Director.
DISPOSAL
DBS cards will be autoclaved and then handled as medical waste.
RELEASE OF SPECIMENS
DBS samples may be transferred to other entities as delineated below:
- An entity that has a contract with the Public Health Department to perform additional (i.e., second tier) testing in response to an out-of-range screening result.
- A health care provider at the request of the patient, legal guardian, or legal representative after completing and signing a written request form approved by the Public Health Department. See Appendix M: Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information.
- A named person in a legally executed subpoena following review and approval by the attorney general or his/her designee.
- A person to whom release is mandated by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
- A researcher with written, informed consent from the patient, legal guardian, or legal representative, if the research project has been reviewed and approved by DPH.
Information on the retention and potential use of residual newborn screening specimens is available in the Georgia Newborn Screening Policy and Procedure Manual posted at www.dph.ga.gov/NBS.
To see a copy of the blood spot card used in Georgia click here.
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