Arkansas screens newborns through the Department of Health’s Newborn Screening Program, covering the federal core panel along with hearing and critical congenital heart disease screening. The program groups certain hemoglobin variants together, so the headline count can understate the number of distinct results reported.
Arkansas newborn screening at a glance
- Conditions screened: about 34, plus newborn hearing and critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) screening
- Program: Arkansas Newborn Screening Program
- Compared to the federal RUSP: screens the federal core panel
- Official source: Arkansas newborn screening program
What the Arkansas panel covers
The panel includes PKU and other metabolic disorders, endocrine conditions, hemoglobin disorders such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, SCID, and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), along with lysosomal disorders including Pompe disease and MPS I and II.
Arkansas appears to screen the full RUSP core, though the state does not state this in a single explicit figure, which is why counts here should be read as approximate.
Why the Arkansas panel stops where it does
The size of Arkansas’s panel is not a limit of technology. Every condition on a state panel has to clear evidence review, secure ongoing funding, and be formally adopted, which is why recent additions took years of work. Many treatable, childhood-onset conditions that today’s sequencing can already detect simply have not moved through that public-health pipeline yet.
How Fore extends newborn screening
Fore Genomics offers an at-home genetic screen that uses a simple cheek swab to look at the genes tied to more than 1,000 clinically actionable, childhood-onset conditions — well beyond any state panel. Samples are sequenced in CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited labs, and results are delivered with support from board-certified genetic counselors. It does not replace the Arkansas state screen; it extends it, using technology available today rather than waiting for the public program to expand. Compare all 50 states, read what newborn screening tests for, or start screening.
Frequently asked questions
How many conditions does Arkansas screen for?
Arkansas screens for about 34 through its bloodspot panel and point-of-care checks. Counts are approximate and change as the state updates its panel, so confirm current details with the Arkansas program.
Is newborn screening required in Arkansas?
Newborn screening is standard for every baby born in Arkansas. Rules on declining vary, so check current guidance from the Arkansas newborn screening program.
How do I get my baby’s Arkansas results?
Results are sent to your baby’s healthcare provider. Ask your pediatrician, or contact the Arkansas newborn screening program for a copy.
Medically reviewed by Fore’s Clinical Team. This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. State screening panels change; confirm current details with the Arkansas Newborn Screening Program (as of March 2026). Sources: Arkansas newborn screening program; HRSA Recommended Uniform Screening Panel.