Alabama Newborn Screening Conference
October 2, 2026
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Bureau of Clinical Laboratories (BCL) hosts this one-day conference to share updates and information about newborn screening.
Overview
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Bureau of Clinical Laboratories (BCL) hosts this one-day conference to share updates and information about newborn screening. Conference attendees will learn about all aspects of newborn screening including the dried blood specimen, newborn hearing screening, and pulse oximetry screening.
| Date | October 2, 2026 |
| Location | Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill 2500 Legends Cir, Prattville, AL 36066 |
| Lodging | Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill |
Who Should Attend
The target audience for the Newborn Screening Conference includes healthcare professionals, nurses, physicians, hospital personnel, laboratory technicians, audiologists, parents, pediatric office staff, and other partners who support the newborn screening community.
Agenda
October 2, 2026
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 7:15 am – 8:15 am | Check-In, Continental Breakfast, and Exhibits |
| 8:15 am – 8:30 am | Welcome and Introductions/Housekeeping Wes Stubblefield, M.D., District Medical Officer, Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and Rachael Jones, B.S.N., R.N., ADPH Newborn Screening (NBS) Follow-up Manager |
| 8:30 am – 9:15 am | Birth Defects Russell Kirby, Ph.D., M.S., F.A.C.E., University of South Florida, Distinguished University Professor and Marrell Endowed Chair |
| 9:15 am – 9:30 am | Break and Exhibits |
| 9:30 am – 10:30 am | Krabbe Disease and Other Lysosomal Storage Disorders Brian Kirmse, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Board-Certified Pediatrician and Clinical Geneticist |
| 10:30 am – 10:45 am | Break and Exhibits |
| 10:45 am – 11:45 am | Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) Session Karen Fowler, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham |
| 11:45 am – 12:45 pm | Working Lunch (Boxed Lunch Provided) Beginning at 12:15 pm – Training for Specimen Collection |
| 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm | Parent Presentation Susan Prince, Hearing Parent |
| 1:45 pm – 2:00 pm | Break and Exhibits |
| 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | PANEL: Sickle Cell Gerald Alfred, Executive Director, Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Mobile Chapter (SCDAA-MC) and Ardie Pack-Mabien, PhD, FNP-BC, Clinical Nurse Practitioner/Administrative Director, University of South Alabama |
| 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm | Newborn Hearing Screening 1-3-6 Benchmarks Mary Ellen Whigham, A.S.N., R.N., ADPH Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Coordinator and Dr. Amy Williamson CDC Hearing Screening and Follow-up Survey Data Stephen Pope, DHSc, MPH, MBA |
| 4:15 pm – 4:30 pm | Closing Remarks / Evaluation / Door Prizes |
| 4:30 pm | Adjourn |
Speakers
Coming soon!
Location and Lodging
The conference will be held at the Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill in Prattville, Alabama.
Directions
Lodging
| Hotel | Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill |
| Cost | $195 |
| Room Block Dates | October 1 & 2, 2026 |
| Reservation Deadline | September 1, 2026 |
| Booking Information | Book your room here! |
Professional Approvals
The ADPH Newborn Screening Conference is planned to meet the various requirements for professional development from the following organizations. As these continuing education (CE) applications are approved, we will update this page to reflect the number of approved CE hours available:
- Alabama Board of Nursing: pending
- Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners: pending
- Continuing Medical Education: pending
- American Society of Clinical Laboratory Science Professional Acknowledgment for Continuing Education (P.A.C.E.): Pending
Registration
Registration Rate: $70.00 (includes continental breakfast, boxed lunch, and CEUS)
*If you are paying with a purchase order, or wish to register over the phone, please call 205-348-3000
Special Accommodation Requests
The University of Alabama is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Requests for accommodation of physical and/or dietary needs should be made at least 30 calendar days in advance of the program date. Please email your request to professionaldevelopment@ua.edu.
A portion of the invoice amount for this program will go to the Capstone Lifelong Learning Foundation to support activities of The University of Alabama and the Office of Teaching Innovation and Digital Education.
Need our STAARS Vendor Number? Please use VC000118827 for UA Office of Teaching Innovation and Digital Education.
Cancellation Policy
A cancellation charge of 100% of the registration fee will be assessed on cancellations occurring within seven (7) days of the start of this session. Any changes to the session registration type (example: in-person to virtual or virtual to in-person) within seven (7) calendar days of the program will be assessed a $25.00 administrative fee. Refunds will not be granted after the program has begun. The University of Alabama reserves the right to cancel, postpone or combine class sections, to limit registration or to change instructors. Contact the Registration Services department at 205-348-3000 or registration_services@ua.edu to cancel your registration. View the OTIDE Cancellation Policy.
Sponsorship Opportunities
The Alabama Department of Public Health, Bureau of Clinical Laboratories, is offering the opportunity to display your company’s products at its Newborn Screening Conference. The conference will be held October 2, 2026, at the Marriott at Capitol Hill in Prattville, Alabama. We anticipate 150 attendees from across Alabama including healthcare professionals, hospitals, pediatric office staff, audiologists, parents, and other partners who support the newborn screening community.
Title Sponsor $1,500
o Choice of exhibit booth in prime location
o Company literature and flyers distributed with conference materials
o Company logo, description, and sponsorship listed on the conference program
o Post conference attendee listing
o Company name and logo included in conference communications and marketing emails
o Recognition on social media
o 3-5 minutes at the podium during program
o Recognition and signage during beverage breaks and lunch
Gold Sponsor $1,000
o Assigned exhibit location
o Company literature and flyers distributed with conference materials
o Company logo, description, and sponsorship listed on the conference program
o Post conference attendee listing
Silver Sponsor $800
o Assigned exhibit location
o Company flyer distributed with conference materials
o Company description and sponsorship listed on the conference program
Bronze Sponsor $600
o Assigned exhibit location
o Sponsorship listed on the conference program
Questions about the conference?
Contact Emily Townsend for more information.
