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Wisconsin Sound Beginnings promotes and supports universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) and follow-up services statewide.

The program goals are as follows:

• Screen 100% of births for hearing loss.
• All infants with hearing loss are diagnosed by 3 months of age.
• All infants with confirmed significant hearing loss receive appropriate medical evaluation and intervention services by 6 months of age.
• Establish a comprehensive data collection and surveillance system.

Wisconsin Sound Beginnings is funded in part by a federal grant.  The Division of Public Health has received grants from both the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement a statewide early hearing detection program and to assure timely and appropriate follow-up services are available to all families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The MCHB grant funds are used to support new initiatives such as the Guide-by-your-Side Program, as well as provider education, training and technical assistance opportunities.

State profile information may be obtained from the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management web site, which includes Wisconsin specific information.  

For information on training and technical assistance related to early hearing detection and intervention, go to the Wisconsin Birth to 3 Training and Technical Assistance web site.  

For more information on Wisconsin Sound Beginnings and UNHS, contact Elizabeth Seeliger at (608) 267-9191 or seeliel@dhfs.state.wi.us.