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CHILD
FIND FOR EARLY INTERVENTION - 2007
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The
Child Find Program for Early Intervention is a system to identify
children birth to age three who are at risk of a developmental
delay. The Child Find Program ensures that at-risk children have
a primary care home that will provide developmental surveillance and
screening. Physicians are encouraged to provide this as part of
every child’s routine health care and to make referrals to the
Department of Special Children’s services on those children who are
identified as at-risk. The program ensures that families have an
opportunity to access health insurance through Child Health Plus or
Medicaid if a child is uninsured or underinsured. It provides an
avenue for primary care providers to locate at-risk children who have
become lost to the system and to determine and resolve barriers to
routine health care.
At risk eligibility criteria includes over 29 medical/biological risk
factors such as the following:
Low Birth Weight
10 days or more in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Growth Deficiency/Nutritional Problems
Parental Substance Abuse
Others including Suspected Developmental Delay, At-Risk Factors or
Parental Concerns
Indicated Child Abuse/Neglect Cases
Referral sources are hospitals, physicians, public health nurses,
parents, Social Services and community agencies.
If a primary care provider is unable to provide screening and
surveillance to at-risk children, SCS nurses will home visit at
intervals of six months, one year, two years, and three years to
monitor the child’s growth and development; and to provide support and
reassurance to the parents.
If delays or areas of concern are identified, the SCS nurses refer to
appropriate community agencies including the Early Intervention Program
for an in-depth developmental evaluation.
There is no cost to families. The county cost is administrative
only.
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