Newborn Screening Program: Committee Structure

The Newborn Screening program helps make sure that all Wisconsin newborns are screened, diagnosed, and treated for certain conditions. The program uses a specific committee structure. All committees and subcommittees report to the Secretary of Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS).

Newborn Screening program committee

The Wisconsin Newborn Screening program committee includes:

• The Umbrella Committee—This committee advises the DHS Secretary about Newborn Screening program operations. A Newborn Screening program medical consultant chairs the committee. The committee also includes:
  • Clinical specialists who chair each of the subcommittees.
  • The State Newborn Screening program coordinator.
  • The director of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene.
  • Director of the Newborn Screening Laboratory at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene.
  • People who represent:
    • Advocacy organizations, such as March of Dimes.
    • American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
    • Certified genetic counselors.
    • Consumers/parents.
    • Ethics.
    • Local health departments.
    • Registered dietitians.
    • Registered nurses.
    • Wisconsin Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics.
    • Wisconsin Hospital Association.
• Seven disorder-specific subcommittees—These groups are formed or dissolved based on which conditions are being screened for in Wisconsin. View the current list of Advisory Groups & Meetings.
• An Education Subcommittee
• A Secretary Advisory Committee on Newborn Screening—This is a permanent review committee. It advises the DHS Secretary on policy issues that relate to newborn screening. An example is making suggestions for what to add to the required screening panel of conditions. Committee members include people with knowledge and expertise in these areas:
  • Medicine and science
  • Ethical, legal, social, and policy analysis
  • Laboratory medicine
  • Statistics and epidemiology

This committee also includes people to represent practicing doctors, the Newborn Screening program, and those with target conditions or their parents. The DHS Secretary appoints members to serve staggered three-year, renewable terms.

Who to contact for help

Questions?

• Call 608-266-8904
• Email tami.horzewski@dhs.wisconsin.gov
• Use our mailing address:
  Division of Public Health
  Newborn Screening Program
  1 West Wilson St., Room 233
  Madison, WI 53703