The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007 (S 1858/HR 3825) establishes national newborn screening guidelines intended to make comprehensive newborn screening widely available throughout the country.  The bill also provides federal funding to educate parents and healthcare professionals about the importance of newborn screening, and improves the systems for follow-up care for infants detected with an illness through the newborn screening tests.  In addition, the bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure the quality of laboratories involved in newborn screening, and establishes a system for collecting and analyzing data that will help researchers develop better detection, prevention and treatment strategies. 

LA Best Babies Network links more than 100 individuals and organizations that are dedicated to improving the health of newborns and their families.  The Network was launched as part of the Healthy Births Initiative established by First 5 LA, a child-advocacy organization created by California voters to invest tobacco tax revenues in programs for improving the lives of children in Los Angeles County, from prenatal through age 5.

Pictured from left to right:  Dr. Carolina Reyes, LA Best Babies Network; Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34); and Tonya Gorham, Policy Coordinator, LA Best Babies Network.