Office of Newborn Screening For most types of genetic or
metabolic disease, early diagnosis and treatment are critical.
Although babies born with these disorders may appear to be
normal at birth, with time the disorder may have a devastating
or lethal effect on the infant's health and development. Early
screening, detection and treatment of these disorders can, in
many cases, result in normal growth and development. Arizona has
been conducting widespread newborn screening for certain
disorders since 1979. A laboratory in Colorado originally
performed screening tests for Arizona newborns. In 1993, the
Arizona Legislature enacted legislation requiring the Arizona
Department of Health Services to develop and administer a formal
Office of Newborn Screening. The Office of Newborn Screening was
created and is now housed in the Bureau of State Laboratory
Services, in the Division of Public Health Services. The Program
has enabled the Department to enhance its public health role in
the newborn screening process, obta