Early Learning and Care Division
Subject: California Statewide Screening Collaborative and Developmental Screening Instruments
Number: 10-01
Date: February 2010
Expires: Until Rescinded
Authority: California Education Code sections 8203 and 8261; California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5 CCR), Section 18276
ATTENTION: Executive Directors and Program Directors of Child Care and Development Programs, Head Start and Early Head Start Program Directors, Resource and Referral Agencies, and Local Child Care and Development Planning Councils
Purpose
The purpose of this Management Bulletin is to inform child development programs of the availability of quality developmental screening resources identified and/or developed by the California Statewide Screening Collaborative (CSSC). These resources are designed to encourage and increase the use of quality standardized developmental screening tools at appropriate intervals, to identify children with developmental difficulties as early as possible and make appropriate referrals.
Regulatory Requirement
Section 18276 of 5 CCR states:
(a) Each contractor shall include in its program a health and social service component that:
(1) identifies the needs of the child and the family for health or social services;
(2) refers a child and/or family to appropriate agencies in the community based on the health or social service needs; and
(3) conducts follow-up procedures with the parent to ensure that the needs have been met.
Background
The CSSC is a statewide collaborative that includes representatives from the California Department of Education, Early Learning and Care Division (ELCD), First 5 California, California Departments of Developmental Services, Social Services, Mental Health, Public Health Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Program and other organizations and key stakeholders. The CSSC works to promote and deliver effective and well-coordinated health, developmental, and early mental health screenings for young children, birth to age five. The CSSC has three major goals to:
- Improve coordination among state agencies and programs involved in early identification and recognition and response activities to support the development of young children.
- Promote the use of standardized screening tools, effective screening protocols, and increased communication among agencies and service providers.
- Identify screening resources and follow-up supports that promote healthy early childhood development, school readiness, positive parent-child relationships, and access to services.
Policy
The ELCD encourages child development programs to utilize quality developmental screening tools as they implement regulatory requirements to identify the needs of children and families and make appropriate referrals. Screening and referral resources, including information on obtaining screening tools at a discount, are available at the California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health Web site at http://cacenter-ecmh.org/.
This Management Bulletin is mandatory only to the extent that it cites a specific statutory and/or regulatory requirement. Any portion of this Management Bulletin that is not supported by a specific statutory and/or regulatory requirement is not prescriptive pursuant to California Education Code Section 33308.5.