Montana’s ABCD Screening Academy project clarified reimbursement policy, selected and implemented use of a screening tool, and developed partnerships with stakeholders.

The ABCD Screening Academy project in Montana improved developmental screening by:

• Improving state policy to better support developmental screening by engaging state policy makers and clarifying reimbursement policies for providers.
• Improving provider practice around the use of standardized developmental screening tools by reaching out to providers and practices to participate in the screening project, providing the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) screening tool to participating practices, and expanding to a total of four practice sites.
• Sustaining and spreading the use of standardized screening tools as part of well child care by looking to expand the model in additional Montana cities. In addition, the Center on Mental Health, in partnership with Head Start, County Health Department, child care providers, and additional doctors in Great Falls, began using the ASQ and persuaded additional partners to use it also.