In The Politics of Autism, I discuss evaluation and diagnosis of young children. Screening is an important part of theprocess.
Ahead of the legislative session reconvening on August 12, VICA urges legislators to support Assembly Bill 1004 (McCarty), which would require developmental screenings for children ages 0 to 3 years old to be provided as part of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit under Medi-Cal. The EPSDT benefit is designed to ensure that children from low-income families receive early detection and preventive care in addition to medically necessary treatment services, so that health problems are diagnosed and treated as early as possible. In California, only 36 percent of infants and toddlers in Medi-Cal receive developmental screenings despite EPSDT requirements. AB 1004 helps establish clear guidelines and oversight for developmental screenings for children ages 0 to 3 years old. Early identification and intervention can improve a child's long-term outcome.
