Assessing children’s milestones at a young age can lead to early identification and intervention of potential developmental delays. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in the United States, about 1 in 6 children aged 3 to 17 have one or more developmental or behavioral disabilities such as autism, a learning disorder, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, many children with developmental disabilities are not identified until they are in school, by which time significant delays might have occurred and opportunities for treatment may have been missed. In California, approximately 50% of young children receive their care through the Medi-Cal system. Of those, less than 1 in 4 children received a developmental screening in 2020. The Medi-Cal system has a historically poor performance on developmental screenings. Less than 1/3 of children in Medi-Cal managed care received a developmental screening in the first 3 years of life. For those reasons, CCRC championed Senate Bill 1112 with Senator Caroline Menjivar to address the systems of care coordination gap by allowing alternative payment agencies to use their administrative funds to pay for the cost associated with providing parents enhanced navigation and referral services to a medical professional.
In addition to child development screenings, we offer families assessments of their finances, health, employment, and other important services like referrals for legal issues, housing, and trauma counseling.
Interested families can visit the Developmental Care Coordination Program page on our website to learn more and connect with a Care Coordinator. Los Angeles County families can utilize Help Me Grow for a comprehensive array of services.
Developmental Screening Access for Children Convening (PowerPoint)
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