Newborn Child Screening Subcommittee

The Newborn Child Screening Subcommittee will provide advice to the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care (MoHLTC), via the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH) and BORN Ontario, as appropriate, regarding provincial policies, standards and guidelines for Ontario’s newborn screening program. It will also advise the Ontario Newborn Screening Program (ONSP) directly, as appropriate. This will include, but not be limited to:

• Monitoring and reporting on program effectiveness and program quality;

•   Making recommendations for change to improve the program. This includes interacting with other agencies involved in neonatal screening, as appropriate; and

•  Responding to questions referred to the Committee from the Maternal/Child Screening Committee;

• Developing, implementing, analyzing and evaluating performance indicators and related data to monitor and report on program effectiveness and quality, in conjunction with other agencies involved with prenatal screening;

• Evaluating and advising on new technologies;

• Making recommendations on policy and knowledge translation related to neonatal & childhood screening;

• Advising on and facilitate implementation of specific neonatal screening protocols;

• Advising on and facilitate implementation of procedures for handling of screen negative and screen positive results, including genetic counseling issues;

• Advising on educational programs for patients and health care providers, to reflect any significant changes in neonatal screening; and

• Advising on research necessary to enhance understanding of matters related to program effectiveness.