The ABCD Screening Academy project in Arkansas promoted and increased structured developmental screening through improvements to EPSDT services. Arkansas' ABCD team successfully collaborated with numerous programs and initiatives whose common goals and objectives to improve the mental and physical health of children strengthened Arkansas’ capacity at the state and community levels to enhance the provision of preventive developmental services to children statewide. Specifically, the ACD Screening Academy in Arkansas improved developmental services for children by:
- Including developmental screening as part of EPSDT/well child screens using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) at 9-12, 18, and 24-30 months, and by instructing providers to use the 96110 code with the ‘EP’ modifier to bill separately for developmental screenings.
- Providing more than 20 family/general practice physicians with training and technical assistance through a grant to support practice level improvements.
- Integrating policy changes into a statewide spread strategy with projected timelines for implementation and responsible parties. Arkansas also requested funding to use the ABCD statewide spread strategy and the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Partnership Council plan to guide the implementation of the ECCS grant activities, which will focus on promoting developmental/social/emotional/mental health of young children.
