The Virginia ABCD Screening Academy Project focused on assuring that young children receive necessary developmental screenings. Building on existing resources and partnerships with, among others, the state AAP Chapter, Department of Education, and Part C Early Intervention program, Virginia conducted pilot programs to promote statewide spread of the use of standardized developmental screening and to improve referral resources.

Specifically, the ABCD Screening Academy project in Virginia improved developmental screening by:

• Improving state policy to better support developmental screening by developing a uniform referral/consent form to facilitate communication between the Infant & Toddler Connection early intervention program and providers; developing a list of recommended standardized developmental screening tools for use in EPSDT; recommending Medicaid reimbursement for the use of a maternal depression screening tool; and revising language regarding developmental screening for the SFY 2009 Medicaid managed care contracts.
• Improving provider practice around the use of standardized developmental screening tools by developing and distributing a laminated referral guide for the Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia early intervention program that expressly encourages screening using a standardized developmental screening tool; providing the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) tool and training to all public health districts; and developing an implementation tool kit for pilot sites and others.
• Sustaining and spreading the use of standardized screening tools as part of well child care by developing a brochure about ABCD and basic guidelines for selecting a screening tool. Also, the Home Visiting Consortium accepted ABCD Stakeholders Group recommendations for screening tools, practices, and referral processes which will assure that, statewide, programs serving families with young children will be getting the same message about developmental screening tools and guidelines.