The ABCD Screening Academy project in Arkansas developed and implemented plans to promote and increase developmental screening as part of EPSDT and enhance the provision of preventive developmental services to children statewide, to link numerous programs and initiatives with common goals and objectives related to improving the mental and physical health of children, and to strengthen Arkansas’ capacity at the state and community levels to provide the care necessary to support the healthy development of children.

Specifically, the ACD Screening Academy in Arkansas improved developmental screening by:

• Improving state policy to better support developmental screening by including developmental screening as part of EPSDT/well child screens using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) at 9-12, 18, and 24-30 months, and by using the 96110 code with the ‘EP’ modifier to bill separately for developmental screenings.
• Improving provider practice around the use of standardized developmental screening tools by targeting at least 20 family/general practice physicians with information, training, and technical assistance through a grant application to support the effort.
• Sustained and spread the use of standardized screening tools as part of well child care by integrating policy changes into a statewide spread strategy with projected timelines for implementation and responsible parties. Arkansas also requested funding to build on the ABCD statewide spread strategy and form the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Partnership Council to guide the implementation of the ECCS plan, which will focus on developmental/ social/emotional/mental health of young children.