Health Screeners: EPSDT 

EPSDT Procedures 

GHC Family Support Staff are required to ensure that parents identify whether they have public, private, or no insurance. Health status will include the determination of a current physical, up-to-date immunizations, and a current dental exam. Determining health status will also include input from parents, family support staff, and possibly teachers. The Health & Safety manager will monitor those children without insurance to ensure each child has a medical home.

Additionally, GHC staff must ensure hearing and vision screenings are completed on each child within 45 calendar days of enrollment. Screenings for 3-5 year olds are conducted by a licensed Hearing and Vision technician. The Health & Safety manager along with the grantee will schedule screenings.

PROCEDURES

The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT*) is key to ensuring that children receive appropriate preventive, dental, mental health, developmental, and specialty services. Illinois has adopted the American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule, which will guide all parents and site staff. EPSDT services mean:

Early: Assessing and identifying problems early;

Periodic: Checking children's health at periodic, age-appropriate intervals;

Screening: Providing physical, mental, developmental, dental, hearing, vision, and other

screening tests to detect potential problems;

Diagnostic: Performing diagnostic tests to follow up when a risk is identified; and

Treatment: Controlling, correcting, or reducing health problems found.

The City of Chicago also requires proof of immunization to be provided prior to or on the first day of admission. Therefore, the parent/guardian must provide documentation of immunization status for each child or exemption. In addition, immunizations must be updated and recorded on the certificate of immunization.

Within 30 calendar days after admission (and within 30 calendar days following the expiration date of a previous health statement), parents/guardians must submit a statement of the child's current health status (well-baby checks or oral checkups as required) or written verification of a scheduled appointment with a health care provider. The child's recent health status statement must be signed and dated by a health care provider who has seen the child within the last 12 months or the previous six months for children less than 2½ years of age. In addition, the statement must include when the health care provider requires the next visit. All health statements must be kept at the site.

Statements of the health status of children under two (2) years of age must be updated per the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended schedule for routine health supervision or as required in writing by the health care provider.

Health statements for children over two years of age must be updated in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended schedule for routine well-child exams.

If the parent or legal guardian wishes for an exemption from the requirement for immunizations due to religious or personal beliefs, the child's parent or legal guardian and the physician must complete the Illinois Certificate of Religious Exemption Form. In addition, parents/guardians must be notified if the site's children are non-immunized, if children attending the facility are non-immunized, and if children with personal and religious exemptions to immunization are accepted in care.

Sites will maintain informal and formal collaborative agreements with community partners to complete dental screenings within 90 days of each child's enrollment. These community partners also provide families with ongoing oral health options for both the child and the entire family.

All health information is entered into the electronic tracking system. Family support staff and the health manager will monitor health information and support families to ensure children have:

• Up-to-date immunization records or the proper immunizations are administered according to the recommended schedule; or

• A waiver on file for religious or philosophical beliefs signed by the parent; or

• A statement from the child's primary health care provider documenting why the child is temporarily or permanently medically exempt from the immunization requirements should be on file.

Children who are experiencing homelessness, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act, should receive services while parents/guardians are taking necessary actions to comply with the immunization requirements of the program. An immunization plan and catch-up immunizations should be initiated upon enrollment and completed as soon as possible. All efforts to assist a family must be documented in the electronic tracking system.