Section 1.0 Authority
This rule is adopted pursuant to
18
V.S.A. §
5087(b) which
authorizes the Department to collect information for the Birth Information
Network (BIN), and
18
V.S.A. §
5087(e) which
authorizes the Department to amend the list of medical conditions through
rulemaking pursuant to
3 V.S.A §
801(b)(11).
Section 2.0 Purpose
The purpose of this rule is to specify health conditions of
newborns which shall be reported to the Birth Information Network for public
health surveillance, health system planning and referral for outreach, early
intervention and treatment.
Section
3.0 Definitions
3.1 "Birth
Defect" means a condition existing at or before birth regardless of cause and
symptoms.
3.2 "BIN" means the Birth
Information Network. The Vermont BIN was established in 2003 to conduct
statewide, population-level surveillance of selected structural birth defects
and other congenital conditions in order to provide information on public
health activities and plan for interventions to improve the health and quality
of life for children and their families.
3.3 "Department" means the Department of
Health.
3.4 "Dried bloodspot" means
the blood specimen drawn for the purpose of screening newborns for certain
serious disorders not readily apparent at birth and which require early
diagnosis and treatment.
3.5
"NBDPN" means the National Birth Defects Prevention Network. The NBDPN is an
organization that addresses the issues of birth defects surveillance, research
and prevention under one umbrella by maintaining a national network of state
and population-based birth defects programs. It publishes standards for public
health surveillance and a comprehensive list of birth defects that should be
identified and reported by states.
3.6 "NBDPN Guidelines and Standards" means
the unified collection of guidelines and standards assembled by the NBDPN and
provided to its partners. The guidelines cover the fundamental aspects of
developing, planning, implementing, and conducting surveillance for birth
defects. This is done to standardize and improve the quality of state birth
defects surveillance data. The guidelines also can be used to analyze,
interpret, and suggest program changes.
3.7 "Newborn Screening Conditions" means
those conditions screened for by the Vermont's Newborn Screening Program
pursuant to
18 V.S.A. §§
102,
115
and
5087.
Section 4.0 Birth Conditions
Included in the Birth Information Network
The Department is authorized to collect information about the
following:
4.1 Conditions and diseases
listed in the Department's Newborn Screening Rule.
4.2 Very low birth weight of less than 1500
grams.
4.3 Birth defects identified
in the NBDPN Guidelines and Standards and incorporated into this rule by
reference.
4.4 Any other records or
information that relate to a birth defect requested by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and specified by the Department for the purpose of
surveillance.
