As of Jan. 1st, 2016, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) was added to the list of conditions that are notifiable by law to the Georgia Department of Public Health. NAS is a condition that results from the abrupt discontinuation of chronic fetal exposure to substances that were used or abused by the mother during pregnancy. In concurrence with the feedback received, DPH has simplified the criteria for reporting NAS to include at least one of the following: a newborn with withdrawal symptoms and/or a newborn with a positive drug screen. Reports should be submitted within seven days of identification. Cases can be reported electronically through the secure web-based State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS) at sendss.state.ga.us. As with all notifiable disease data, data regarding NAS will remain confidential in accordance with Georgia law, Code Sections 31-12-2 and 31-5-5.
For more detailed information regarding reporting NAS, click here.