Assuring Better Child Health and Development

The following toolboxes contain information useful for primary care providers interested in promoting the use of validated standardized developmental screening in their office practices. Each toolbox contains links and information about whether they include key activities related to developmental screening such as a discussion of screening tools, coding and reimbursement, and practice guidelines. The toolboxes were included based on an initial scan of available toolboxes by a pediatric nurse practitioner and review by a workgroup of clinicians with expertise in the area of child development.1 They were reviewed for focus, covered topics, strengths and weaknesses, comprehensiveness, and ease of use. All toolboxes aim to assist practices with changes in behavior, knowledge, and skills.

Toolbox

Primary purpose

American Academy of Pediatrics - Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics

Aimed at professionals interested in child development and behavior, especially in the medical setting, with a focus on primary care development and behavior, especially early identification and screening

American Academy of Pediatrics - National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs

Aimed at incorporating developmental surveillance and screening into preventive health care visits, and promoting medical homes, including tools developed through D-PIP pediatric practices that are implementing the AAP algorithm for developmental surveillance and screening

California Institute of Mental Health

Promotes excellence in mental health services through training, technical assistance, research, and policy development

Children's Hospital Boston

Aimed at primary care providers considering or planning to start screening children for developmental needs using a validated tool

NASHP North Carolina ABCD Project

Reviews North Carolina’s experience implementing the ABCD project, including "A New Approach for Providing Developmental Services in Primary Care Practice"

Developmental Screening of Young Children in Minnesota

Provides information on Minnesota’s recommendations and tools to promote developmental screening

Sources:
1. 1. The initial scan was completed by Anita Berry MSN, CNP/APN, Director of Healthy Steps for Young Children Program and Enhancing Developmentally Oriented Primary Care (EDOPC) for Advocate Health Care, Illinois. The clinical review panel included: Ruth Allen, EPSDT Director, Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Paula Duncan, M.D., Youth Health Director, VCHIP, Clinical Professor of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Vermont; Marian Earls, M.D., FAAP, Medical Director, Guilford Child Health, Inc.; Glenace Edwall, Psy.D, Ph.D, Director, Children's Mental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services; Alfred Healy, M.D., Professor Emeritus, University of Iowa College of Medicine; Quentin Humberd, M.D., President, Tennessee Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics; Penny Knapp, M.D., Medical Director, Children's Services, California Department of Mental Health; Paul, Lipkin, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Director, Center for Development and Learning, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Chuck Norlin, M.D., Chief, Division of General Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine; Ed Schor, M.D., Vice President, The Commonwealth Fund, Deborah Usry, Developmental Services Coordinator, Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics