Illinois made numerous policy changes during the ABCD project, including clarifying and encouraging the use of unbundled services for Medicaid reimbursement for developmental screenings, clarifying Medicaid policy to allow for two developmental screenings and one risk assessment on the same day, paying primary care clinicians through Medicaid for using a validated screening tool to screen the mothers of all infants covered by Medicaid for perinatal depression, initiating collaborative MCO Performance Improvement Projects (PIPs) focused on the healthy social-emotional development of young children and perinatal depression, and MCO contract requirements to focus on health outcomes, including promoting the healthy mental development of young children.

This section contains resources for "Improving Policy" developed by Illinois.

• State of Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Contract for Furnishing Health Services by a Managed Care Organization
  This resource outlines policy improvements made during the ABCD project to Managed Care Contracts in Illinois. Please see highlighted sections of contract for specific improvements requiring use of standardized developmental and social emotional screening during EPSDT visits, risk assessment or perinatal depression screening during maternity care, as well as related quality improvement and performance payment projects.
  Illinois Managed Care Contract 2006.pdf

• Informational Notice to Providers
  Illinois Department of Public Aid. (February 10, 2004). The purpose of this notice is to provide clarification on the billing of objective screenings and assessments under the departments Healthy Kids program and to advise providers of the Department's acceptance of the Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) Adolescent Screening Tool.
  IL screening memo.pdf

• Screening for Perinatal depression - informational notice
  Illinois Department of Public Aid. (November 30, 2004). Available online at: http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/assets/112904pd.pdf. This informational notice from IL DPA to practitioners outlines screening protocols for perinatal depression and provides information on DPA's initiation of reimbursement for screening for perinatal depression and information about consultation services available to providers
  IL Screening for Perinatal Depression.pdf

• State Medicaid Policy for Reimbursement of Maternal Depression Screening
  Illinois ABCD Healthy Beginnings. (March 4, 2005). This resource outlines the Illinois State Medicaid Policy for Reimbursement of Maternal Depression Screening.
  IL Screening Summary 3-4-05.pdf

• Handbook for Healthy Kids Services, Chapter HK-200: Policy and Procedures for Healthy Kids Services
  Illinois Department of Public Aid. (April 2002). Available online at: http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/assets/041404hk200.pdf. This handbook chapter describes the components and frequency with which well-child screening services are to be performed under the Healthy Kids program.(From Foreward). It clarifies that the use of an approved, objective screening tool is required for EPSDT screens (see pages 3 and 12-15).
  http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/assets/041404hk200.pdf

• Handbook For Healthy Kids Services: Appendix 1: Anticipatory Guidance Topics
  Illinois Department of Public Aid. (April 2002). Available online at: http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/assets/072202hk200appendices.pdf. This handbook section provides information about well child visits and screening for providers.
  http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/assets/072202hk200appendices.pdf