Testing the Effectiveness of Telephone-based Early Childhood Developmental Screening

Although the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends universal early childhood developmental screening as part of routine well-child care, there have been many studies documenting that many pediatricians do not follow the AAP guidelines. One intervention that has the potential to improve care, especially for low-income families, is centralized, telephone-based developmental screening, and care coordination for families whose children have developmental or behavioral concerns. 2-1-1 Los Angeles developed such an intervention and this study aims to test its effectiveness, in partnership with a local community clinic, using a randomized, controlled study design. Investigators partnered with the Clinica Oscar A Romero, a federally-qualified health center in Los Angeles, serving predominantly low-income Latino families. Investigators hope to enroll up to 300 families in the study. Eligible families will have children ages 12 to 42 months of age who receive well-child care at the clinic. As investigators obtain informed consent and enroll families, they will randomize study participants into intervention and control groups. Intervention group families will be transferred to 211 Los Angeles to complete developmental screening over the phone, while control group families will go to their pediatricians for well-child care as usual.

Inclusion criteria

• child receives well-child care at the clinic
• child is not already receiving intervention services for a developmental disability
• parent speaks Spanish or English well enough to be interviewed

Exclusion criteria

• child is younger than 12 months or older than 42 months at time of enrollment
• child is already receiving intervention services for a developmental disability
• parent is unable to speak Spanish or English well enough to be interviewed