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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Evidence Tools
Developmental Screening

Introduction

This toolkit summarizes content from the Developmental Screening Evidence Accelerator and the MCHbest database. The peer-reviewed literature supporting this work can be found in the Established Evidence database. Use the resources below as you develop effective evidence-based/informed programs and measures.

From the MCH Block Grant Guidance. Early identification of developmental delays and disabilities is critical to provide referrals to services that can promote health and educational success.1 It is an integral function of the primary care medical home. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends developmental screening at the 9, 18, and 24 or 30 month visit.1 Developmental screening is part of the Core Set of Children’s Health Care Quality Measures for Medicaid and CHIP. Systems-level quality improvement efforts that build on the medical home are needed to improve rates of developmental screening and surveillance.2

Goal. To increase the percent of children who receive a developmental screening.

Note. Access other related measures in this Population Domain through the Toolkits page.

Detail Sheet: Start with the MCH Block Grant Guidance

GOAL: To increase the percent of children who receive a developmental screening.

DEFINITION:
Numerators:
Number of children, ages 9 through 35 months (2 years), whose parents reported completing a standardized developmental screening questionnaire from a health care provider in the past year with age-specific content on language development and social behavior

Denominators:
Number of children, ages 9 through 35 months

Units: 100
Text: Percent

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2030 OBJECTIVE: Identical to Maternal, Infant, and Child Health (MICH) Objective 17: Increase the proportion of children who receive a developmental screening. (Baseline: 31.1% in 2016-17, Target: 35.8%)

DATA SOURCES: National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH)

MCH POPULATION DOMAIN: Child Health

MEASURE DOMAIN Clinical Health Systems

1. Accelerate with EvidenceStart with the Science

The first step to accelerate effective, evidence-based/informed programs is ensuring that the strategies we implement are meaningful and have high potential to affect desired change. Read more about using evidence-based/informed programs and then use this section to find strategies that you can adopt or adapt for your needs.

Evidence-based/Informed Strategies: MCHbest Database

The following strategies have emerged from studies in the scientific literature as being effective in advancing the measure. Use the links below to read more about each strategy or access the MCHbest database to find additional strategies.

Chart of Evidence-Linked Strategies and Tools

Evidence-Informed

Evidence-Based

Mixed Evidence

Emerging Evidence

Expert Opinion

Moderate Evidence

Scientifically Rigorous

 

 

 

 

Field-Based Strategies: Find promising programs from AMCHP’s Innovation Hub

2. Think Upstream with Planning ToolsLead with the Need

The second step in developing effective, evidence-based/informed programs challenges us to plan upstream to ensure that our work addresses issues early and is measurable in “turning the curve” on big issues that face MCH populations. Read more about moving from root causes to responsive programs and then use this section to align your work with the data and needs of your populations.

Move from Need to Strategy

Use Root-Cause Analysis (RCA) and Results-Based Accountability (RBA) tools to build upon the science to determine how to address needs.

Planning Tools: Use these tools to move from data to action

3. Work Together with Implementation ToolsMove from Planning to Practice

The third step in developing effective, evidence-based/informed programs calls us to work together to ensure that programs are implementable and moveable within the realities of Title V programs and lead to improved health outcomes for all people. Read more about implementation tools designed for MCH population change and then use this section to develop responsive strategies to bring about change that is responsive to the needs of your populations.

Additional MCH Evidence Center Resources: Access supplemental materials from the literature

Implementation Resources: Use these field-generated resources to affect change

Practice. The following tools can be used to translate evidence to action to advance this NPM:

Partnership. The following organizations focus efforts on supporting developmental screening:


References

Introductory References: From the MCH Block Grant Guidance

1 Council on Children With Disabilities; Section on Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics; Bright Futures Steering Committee; Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs Project Advisory Committee. Identifying infants and young children with developmental disorders in the medical home: an algorithm for developmental surveillance and screening [published correction appears in Pediatrics. 2006 Oct;118(4):1808-9]. Pediatrics. 2006;118(1):405-420. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-1231

2 Hirai AH, Kogan MD, Kandasamy V, Reuland C, Bethell C. Prevalence and Variation of Developmental Screening and Surveillance in Early Childhood. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Sep 1;172(9):857-866. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.1524.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy, $3.5 M. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.