Summary
The Washington State Department of Health (Department) tests all babies born in Washington for rare but treatable health issues. The Department completes this test using a small blood spot sample collected from a baby’s foot. This process is also called “newborn screening.” Washington law requires that the State Board of Health (Board) create rules for newborn screening. This includes the list of conditions that all babies are tested for after birth.
For More Information
Statutory Authority: RCW 70.83.050
Board Contact: Molly Dinardo, molly.dinardo@sboh.wa.gov
Department of Health Contact: Megan McCrillis, megan.mccrillis@doh.wa.gov
To receive future updates on newborn screening please complete the newborn screening interest form online: https://airtable.com/appInSCDg3PQGljEz/pagbfxJg9B2dCn04R/form
Additional Background
The Board and Department of Health follow a well-established process to review conditions for Washington’s mandatory newborn screening panel. This process prioritizes evidence, ethics, equity, and cost-effectiveness.
Members of the public, staff at the Department of Health, or Board Members can request that the Board review a particular condition for possible inclusion in the newborn screening panel. To determine which conditions to include in the newborn screening panel, the Board convenes a multidisciplinary technical advisory committee (TAC) to evaluate candidate conditions using guiding principles and an established set of criteria.
2024-25 Newborn Screening TAC and Project Support
In 2024, the Board received proviso funding from the Legislature to hire a temporary staff member to support newborn screening projects from August 2024 to June 2025. With this added the Board convened an ad hoc TAC to:
- Review and update the Board’s newborn screening process and criteria (last updated in 2015)
- Evaluate three candidate conditions for possible inclusion on Washington’s newborn screening panel
- Branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK) deficiency (required by Senate Bill 6234)
- Congenital Cytomegalovirus or cCMV (required by Senate Bill 5829)
- Wilson’s Disease (submitted through a petition for rulemaking)
TAC Activities and Legislative Requirements
The ad hoc TAC first focused on modernizing the Board’s review process and criteria. The updated materials are available on the Board’s Publications page: Newborn Screening Process and Criteria
The TAC then reviewed the two legislatively mandated conditions (BCKDK and cCMV). For each, the Board is required to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature.
- BCKDK deficiency legislative report (June 2025)
- cCMV legislative report (due December 30, 2025)
The TAC concluded with a review of Wilson’s Disease in June 2025. The Board will review the TAC’s recommendations at its August 20, 2025, Board meeting.
