The Vision and Hearing Screening Program at the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) works to identify children with vision and hearing disorders who attend any public, private, parochial, denominational school or a Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) licensed child care center and licensed child care home in Texas.
Mission
Preschoolers and school children with hearing and vision problems will be identified early and linked to appropriate remedial services. School children will learn about preventive vision and hearing care.
Announcements
Vision, Hearing and Spinal Screening Updates
The
program is currently determining if screening rules will be in effect this year
due to the extra challenges to schools posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We
will notify stakeholders as soon as a decision is reached. In the
meantime, for schools who are screening students, please refer to this best practices document for guidance on safely
screening children this school year.
The
Vision, Hearing and Spinal Screening Program (VHSS) will offer virtual Vision
and Hearing Basic workshops beginning Sept 1, 2020 for individuals who do not
have a current vision and hearing certification. Please contact the
Regional Coordinator for your area for more information and to sign up for
training. Regional Coordinator contact information can be found on our website:
https://dshs.texas.gov/vhs/regions.shtm
Please
email vhssprogram@dshs.texas.gov if you have any
questions.
Vision, Hearing, Spinal Screening
Regarding Screening Rules During 2020-2021 School Year
ANNOUNCEMENT:
Health and Safety Code, Chapter 36 and 25
Texas Administrative Code Chapter 37 require Public, Private, Parochial, and
Denominational Schools (Schools) and Department of Family and Protective
Services (DFPS) Licensed Child Care Centers and Licensed Child Care Homes
(Child Cares) to screen children for vision, hearing and spinal problems.
The Health Screening Group understands the
challenges that schools and school districts are facing due to the COVID-19
pandemic. Although screening is still
required for this school year, DSHS understands the need for flexibility and
advises schools and school districts to assess their capacity to safely conduct
screenings. Schools and child cares with
the capacity to screen should notify parents and follow best practices previous
developed by the department. Parents who choose not to
participate at this time may decline screenings.
DSHS recommends schools notify the parents of
children who have missed or will miss a screening. This notification should
inform parents of the missed screening and encourage them to ask for screenings
at their child’s next well-child appointment with their medical provider. If a
parent suspects their child has a vision, hearing, or spinal problem they
should notify the school nurse or school administration for assistance in
obtaining a screening. The Health Screening Group has developed sample letters
for parents for vision and hearing screening and spinal screening that schools may use.
The
Child Health Reporting System (CHRS) opens for 2020-2021 reporting on January
15 and closes June 30. School districts
and child cares who conducted screenings should enter their screening results
as usual. The schools and child cares
who were unable to screen children this year due to COVID-19 should still
report in CHRS by entering zeroes in the number fields. Doing this indicates the school districts and
child cares have reported their data and will not appear on the “Did Not
Report” list.
Instructions for adding zeroes are located under
“Announcements” on our website located at: www.dshs.texas.gov/vhs .
Please contact the Vision, Hearing and Spinal
Screening Program at vhssprogram@dshs.texas.gov if you have questions or concerns.
Draft Letter for Students Who Have Missed or Will Miss a Vision or
Hearing Screening (5th grade reading level):
Dear
Parent/Guardian:
Due to challenges
presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, your child has not received a vision or
hearing screening. Vision and hearing problems can affect a child’s wellbeing
and their ability to learn.
The Department of
State Health Services encourages parents to take their children to a medical
provider for well child exams. During these appointments you can ask for
screenings. If your child is screened, we encourage you to send us the results
of those screens for our records.
Signs of a possible vision problem
include:
- Squinting
- Tilting the head
- Sitting too close to the television
- Constant eye rubbing
- Abnormal alignment or movement of the
eyes
Signs of a possible hearing problem
include:
- Your child wants
volumes louder than other members of the family
- Your child often says “What?”
- It seems like your child isn’t listening
- Your child seems to hear fine sometimes
and not others
If you think your
child has a vision or hearing problem, please contact the school nurse. Discuss
your concerns with them right away.
Sincerely,
Draft Letter for Students Who Have
Missed or Will Miss a Spinal Screening (7th grade reading level):
Dear
Parent/Guardian:
Due to challenges
presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, your child has not received a spinal
screening. Spinal screening can detect abnormal spinal curvatures at an early
stage. Early detection is important for controlling spinal deformities.
The Department of State Health Services
encourages parents to take their children to a medical provider for well child
exams. During these appointments you can ask for your child to receive a spinal
screening. If your child is screened, we encourage you to send us the results
of the screen for our records.
Signs your child
may have an abnormal spinal curvature:
- Uneven shoulders or hips
- Ribs that are prominent or stick out in
one area
- Muscles that are prominent in the lower
back or bulge on one side
If you think your
child has an abnormal spinal curvature, please contact the school nurse.
Discuss your concerns with them.
Sincerely,
Schools should follow these guidelines for students to obtain vision, hearing and spinal screenings that are receiving in person or online instructions.
- Send a letter to parents notifying them in advance that screenings will be conducted on designated dates
- Request parent to please bring student receiving online instructions to the school so screenings may be performed in accordance with the statutes
- In lieu of the screening(s) provided by the school:
- parents or guardians may provide screening record signed by a licensed professional
- parents or guardians may provide signed statement that the vision, hearing or spinal screening conflicts with the tenets and practices of a church or religious denomination of which the affiant is an adherent or member
SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING VISION, HEARING AND SPINAL SCREENING ANNUAL REPORTS FOR FACILITIES THAT WERE UNABLE TO SCREEN FOR THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR (ADDING ZEROES).
Vision
and Hearing Recertification Workshops
The DSHS
Vision, Hearing and Spinal Screening Program will be offering virtual Vision
and Hearing Recertification workshops effective July 13, 2020 for individuals
who have a current vision and hearing certification that will expire December
31, 2020.
Trainings
will be conducted through Microsoft Teams, and will not require specialized
software. Participants will need to have a computer, laptop, chrome book,
tablet or smart phone with audio/video capability.
Please
contact the Regional Coordinator for your area to sign up, their contact
information can be found here.
Vision, Hearing and Spinal Screening and Reporting Rules are Waived for 2019-2020 School Year. Optional reporting window for screenings already conducted extended to July 31.
- Due to COVID-19 and school closures, in accordance with section 418.016 of the Texas Government Code, the Office of the Governor grants the Department of State Health Services’ request to suspend HSC section 37.001(b), 25 TAC 37.144(c)(1), and 25 TAC 37.145(b)(5) for spinal screening and reporting, and HSC sections 36.004(a), 36.006(d), and 25 TAC 37.23(a), 25 TAC 37.24(a), and 25 TAC 37.26(b)(6) for hearing and vision screening and reporting. This suspension is in effect for the 2019-2020 school year.
- Schools may report screening results of previously performed screenings by July 31st for the 2019-2020 school year if they elect to do so. Results can be submitted to DSHS online at the Child Health Reporting System (CHRS). If you have any questions, please email VHSSprogram@dshs.texas.gov.
Vision, Hearing and Spinal Screening Reporting Period Begins January 15
The reporting period for vision, hearing and spinal screening (VHSS) begins on January 15, 2021. Results are required to be submitted to the Department of State Health Services online at the Child Health Reporting System (CHRS) by June 30 of each year. View the vision, hearing and spinal screening annual reports flyer.
The last day to submit your report for this school year is June 30, 2021. After June 30, the reporting system shuts down and late reporting cannot be submitted.
Expert Panel Provides Recommendations on Using Photoscreening 
The Vision Screening Program determined that current rule allows for the use of photoscreening devices. Texas Administrative Code, Title 25 Part 1, Chapter 37, related to
Vision and Hearing Screening, allows for the use of instrument-based devices following the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) guidelines, as revised, as they apply to age, verbal ability, ability to cooperate with screening, allowable methods of screening in different situations, and referral criteria. AAPOS vision screening recommendations indicate that instrument-based devices, such as photoscreeners, are not recommended for use in children 6 years or over and the visual acuity wall chart screening method is preferred.
In response to stakeholder feedback and as part of HB 3157 implementation activities, the program convened an expert panel to review evidence-based research, best practices, and professional recommendations related to screening children for vision disorders. The meeting was held on the DSHS Main Campus, November 16, 2017. Panelists participated both in person and via conference call. It was an informal, closed meeting and not subject to the open meeting act.
The expert panel provided five recommendations when screening children for vision conditions. View the recommendations.
Vision Screening Hearing Held March 2018
The Vision Screening Program held a hearing to accept public comment related to vision screening on March 22, 2018. View the meeting agenda. [PDF 67KB] View the video of the hearing.
House Bill 3157 and Photoscreening Use in Schools
The Governor signed House Bill (HB) 3157, 85th Legislature, Regular Session 2017. It amends
Health and Safety Code, Chapter 36, Special Senses and Communication Disorders and became effective September 1, 2017. HB 3157 does not require that schools use photoscreening technology nor require that schools purchase the equipment. However, it explicitly allows schools to use photoscreening technology as part of the screening process.
Because current rules allow for the use of photoscreening in a manner that is consistent with American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) recommendations, rules will not need to be amended to implement HB 3157. View the current
vision and hearing screening rules. Also, see our
vision screening frequent questions.
Audiometers
An audiometer measures various aspects of a person's ability to hear. To measure hearing accurately and to ensure that all audiometers perform consistently, Texas law requires that they be registered and calibrated. Read more about audiometers.
Contact Us
Texas Department of State Health Services
Vision and Hearing Screening
PO Box 149347, MC 1818, Austin, Texas 78714-9347
1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756-3199
Phone: 512-776-7420 or toll free 1-800-252-8023, extension 7420
Fax: 512-776-7256
Email:
vhssprogram@dshs.texas.gov
Relay Texas: Dial 7-1-1
External links to other sites are intended to be informational and do not have the endorsement of the Texas Department of State Health Services. These sites may not be accessible to people with disabilities.