§ 13-604. Powers and duties of Secretary

   (a) Power to contact. -- The Secretary may contract with any qualified person to administer the program.

(b) Duties. -- The Secretary shall:

   (1) Develop a system to gather and maintain data;

   (2) Develop methods to:

      (i) Contact parents or guardians of newborns and their identified primary care providers regarding the results of the newborn hearing screening;

      (ii) Contact parents or guardians of hearing-impaired infants and infants who have a risk factor of developing a hearing impairment; and

      (iii) Refer the parents or guardians to appropriate services;

   (3) Establish a telephone hot line to communicate information about hearing impairment and services for hearing-impaired infants;

   (4) Appoint an Advisory Council for the program;

   (5) Meet annually with the Advisory Council; and

   (6) In consultation with the Advisory Council, adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the program.

HISTORY: 1985, ch. 402; 1989, ch. 118; 1999, ch. 127, § 1; ch. 128, § 1.