Oral

An innovative developmental screening initiative launched over 20 years ago in Hillsborough County, FL, has evolved into a highly successful community-wide program designated by the Florida Department of Education as a “Best Practice.” Our presentation will provide a systems perspective on the role of interagency collaboration in developing and implementing a program that screens more than 1,500 young children each year. We will focus on a major component of the program: monthly screening events scheduled at sites throughout the county. More than 50 professionals from a broad range of agencies come together one day each month to screen children for delays or problems with vision, hearing, speech and language skills, motor development, learning, and social-emotional development. Nemours is a comprehensive child health system expanding the traditional role of primary care providers though: implementing a population-oriented approach grounded in the socio-ecological model that is multi-faceted, multi-sector and involves multiple caregivers as change agents; engaging community-based coalitions that bring the multi-sector integrated approach together in a place-based strategy; systems or environmental changes including professional practice and policy improvements; knowledge dissemination system; and social marketing. The initial areas of emphasis are childhood obesity prevention and emotional and behavioral health. Determine whether physicians' referral procedures influence the likelihood that children with suspected speech/language delay will make initial contact with early intervention programs.

Session Objectives: 1)Identify major systems that collaborate in a community developmental screening program. 2)List 5 domains screened in comprehensive developmental screening. 3)To identify effective interventions to promote the health of pre-school-age children, thereby enhancing long-term prosperity, and increasing societal investments in children’s health. 4)Identify potential strategies for modifying referral practices in a way that facilitates timely evaluation of at-risk children by early intervention programs.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing