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Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee (NHSAC)
The Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee, also known as the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Advisory Committee, meets four times per year to discuss issues surrounding early hearing detection and intervention.
Members of the mandated advisory committee include parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, advocates with expertise in issues affecting people who are deaf and hard of hearing, health care providers, hospital representatives, and other medical and education experts.
One of the main purposes of the advisory committee is to make informed recommendations for newborn hearing screening and hearing loss management. Meetings are open to the public.
Information about the advisory committee:
- Authorizing legislation: Minnesota Statute 144.966
- Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee Legislative Report 2023 (PDF)
- Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee Operating Procedures (PDF)
- Guiding Principles of the Minnesota Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee (PDF)
Please email health.ehdi@state.mn.us with any questions or comments regarding the Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee.
Recommendations from the advisory committee
In February 2023, the MDH Newborn Screening Program became the first in the nation to screen all newborns for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV). Hearing loss is one of the most common health issues for babies born with congenital CMV. The advisory committee brought together a workgroup of audiologists to develop a hearing screening and monitoring protocol for infants diagnosed with congenital CMV. The committee approved and recommended the following protocol to the Commissioner of Health and it was adopted by the Minnesota Department of Health:
- Section 4: Audiology Guidelines for Infants with Congenital Cytomegalovirus
This document provides recommended guidelines for audiologic management and early identification of hearing loss in Minnesota infants with a diagnosis of congenital CMV.
NHSAC membership
The commissioner of health must appoint at least one member from each of the following groups with no less than two of the members being deaf or hard of hearing:
- A representative from a consumer organization representing culturally deaf persons
- A parent with a child with hearing loss representing a parent organization
- A consumer from an organization representing oral communication options
- A consumer from an organization representing cued speech communication options
- An audiologist who has experience in evaluation and intervention of infants and young children
- A speech-language pathologist who has experience in evaluation and intervention of infants and young children
- Two primary care providers who have experience in the care of infants and young children, one of which must be a pediatrician
- A representative from the early hearing detection intervention teams
- A representative from the Department of Education resource center for the deaf and hard-of-hearing or the representative's designee
- A representative of the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing
- A representative from the Department of Human Services Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division
- One or more of the Part C coordinators from the Department of Education, the Department of Health, or the Department of Human Services or the department's designees
- The Department of Health early hearing detection and intervention coordinators
- Two birth hospital representatives from one rural and one urban hospital
- A pediatric geneticist
- An otolaryngologist
- A representative from the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee under this subdivision
- A representative of the Department of Education regional low-incidence facilitators
- A representative from the deaf mentor program
- A representative of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf from the Minnesota State Academies staff
Meeting agendas and minutes
Meetings of the NHSAC are open to the public and occur quarterly. The Advisory Committee meets virtually via Zoom in February and August and in-person in May and November. For more information or to attend a meeting, please email health.ehdi@state.mn.us. CART services and ASL interpreters are provided for each meeting.
2025
November 19, 2025
- Agenda (PDF)
- Minutes (PDF)
August 20, 2025
- Agenda (PDF)
- Minutes (PDF)
May 21, 2025
- Agenda (PDF)
- Minutes (PDF)
Feb 19, 2025
- Agenda (PDF)
- Minutes (PDF)
2023
November 15, 2023
August 16, 2023
May 17, 2023
Feb 15, 2023
2022
November 16, 2022
August 17, 2022
May 18, 2022
Feb 16, 2022
Meeting Canceled
2021
November 17, 2021
August 18, 2021
May 19, 2021
February 17, 2021
2020
November 18, 2020
August 19, 2020
May 20, 2020
Meeting canceled due to COVID
February 19, 2020
Open and upcoming appointments
Vacancies
Advisors are appointed to the committee by the Minnesota Commissioner of Health. Appointed advisors serve four-year terms and can reapply at the end of their terms. Appointments may be renewed indefinitely, at the discretion of the commissioner.
Selection is based on review of the applications by a steering committee for the advisory committees. Final selection of appointed advisors is made by the Minnesota Commissioner of Health.
Below are current vacancies for the Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee.
| Number of openings | Category | Term end date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A primary care provider with experience in the care of infants and young children | January 2028 |
| 1 | A primary care provider with experience in the care of infants and young children and is a pediatrician | January 2028 |
| 1 | A birth hospital representative from an urban hospital | January 2028 |
| 1 | A pediatric geneticist | January 2028 |
If interested, please visit the following website to apply for one of these open appointments:
Board/Commission Details: Newborn Screening Hearing Advisory Committee
Please include a cover letter, resume, and any other pertinent information you believe would be helpful in the selection process.
Upcoming appointments
There are currently no upcoming appointments.