2009-2015
“Early identification of developmen
disorders is critical to the well-being
children and their families. It is an
integral function of the primary care
medical home and an appropriate
responsibility of all pediatric health
care professionals. American Acade
of Pediatrics.”
Getting Started : Who will help?
 Find the group that will be the driving force for this
event.
 The agencies that would typically come together to
provide this would be: the school system, Early Steps,
Children’s Medical Services, County Health
departments, Healthy Start, Head Start and Early
Learning Coalition. Many of these agencies come
together for some type of interagency meeting and this
would be a good place to start.
Three Big Roles: Who will do What?
 Media Coordinator: This individual designs the flyer, contacts the
newspapers and TV stations to set up interviews and community
announcements and helps reach out to individuals in the community to help
advertise the event.
 Volunteer Coordinator: This individual develops the MOA (suggested form
included), sends it out to all possible participants and is the person the MOA is
returned to. This individual keeps track of all the volunteers and notes any
areas of need.
 Child Screen Coordinator: This individual has ultimate responsibility for the
entire event but also is the one who coordinates taking the appointments for
children to be screened, making the folders for each child to be screened,
confirming appointments, and doing the follow-up after the screen takes place.
This person should have access to staff that can assist with the completion of
the above tasks.
Three Months Before Screen
 Determine partners for screen and secure logos (this will help you
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build your letterhead for future communications).
Set a tentative date.
Find a site. (Preferably one that has smaller office-like spaces for ease
with screening and a larger space for registration. Churches can be an
option as well as clinics in health departments.)
Determine what will be screened and what instruments will be used.
Solicit donation for morning coffee, snack and lunch for volunteers and
a snack for the children to be screened.
Reach out to media to schedule possible interviews, articles and/or
community announcements for 3 weeks prior to the event.
Solicit donations for children’s books and toys to hand out at the event.
Get People Involved!
Get the Word Out
1 Month Prior to Screen
 Set up procedure in the office that will be taking appointments
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(Forms: Screening Script, telephone interview)
Train individuals in the office that will be making the
appointments
Send out the flyer to all partners and MOA volunteers and ask
that they share with clients. Ask elementary principals to share
with their parents, post in grocery stores and clinics.
Map out site (CMS site map is an example)
Recruit volunteers for set up and break down
Make signs and name tags
Set up child folders ( Forms: Folder checklist, photo release,
perm to use info for research, any additional permissions that
may be needed)
2 Weeks Prior to Screen
 Mail packets to parents that already have
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appointments ( Appointment confirmation letter,
Registration form, Additional child form, and map)
Clean or obtain toys for wait rooms
Review flow chart and determine gaps in recruited
volunteers, reach out to fill gaps
Send out confirmation to all volunteers
Send lists to school child find and Early Steps to make
sure clients are not scheduled for appointments.
Confirm food for volunteers and children
1 Week Prior
 Complete sending out packets to parents
 Make child folders
 Begin calling parents to confirm appointments, pull wait
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list children if cancellations and email the parents the
forms
Type up final appointment list and referral check list
Send final copy to Child Find and Early Steps
Pull age appropriate forms if using
Make copies of site map and station description for
volunteer sign in.
Send out final reminder to volunteers
The Day Before
 Print name tags for children
 Finalize appointment list and referral list
 Put all folders in box to transfer to screening site
 Pull together signs and volunteer name tags
 Set up site if possible
 Conduct a walk-through of site
 If possible have all resource tables set up
The Big Day
 Make sure all volunteers are there at least one hour
prior to your first appointment
 Parking should be open for families, make sure
volunteers park so families have easy access
 Critical stations: Registration, check in prior to
resource room, final check out.
 Have fun!
The Monday After
 Put files in alpha order
 Double check all referrals with the child’s screen form
 Copy registration and screening results form ( except
Pass) and put into appropriate piles
 Make pediatrician lists
 Mail copies to appropriate agencies
Communication with the Doctor
 Pediatrician letter
 Copy of Summary Form (make sure parent has signed
it)
 Date of next screen if known
 Child Find brochure
Within in two weeks of the screen
 Track numbers and enter into data bases
 Email volunteers Thank You
 Contact no shows
 Compile feedback forms
 Enter demographics into CHRIS if appropriate
Lessons we have learned
 Take input and keep making it better
 Find a way to manage the time volunteers have to give
within your timeframe
 Make sure to consider family and child needs first.
 Be flexible, the event should match the space you are in
and the skills of your volunteers and your community.
 Build in follow-up (How will you find out…)
-Did families get to their appointments?
-Did children get evaluated and placed?
-What were the longer range outcomes?
624 Children Screened
Free Community Wide Developmental Screenings. Number of
Children Screened in the Last Three Years.
(277 By Age Group)
100
100
90
80
80
70
60
60
50
6 Months to 21 Months
22 Months to 35 Months
37
40
50 Months to 66 Months
30
19
17
20
12
10
36 Months to 49 Months
5
17
19
15
12
4
5
7
8
10
13 12
21
16 16
14
12
10
8
3
2
0
Number of
Number of
Number of
Children
Children
Children
Screened (38) Screened (39)
Screened
In October in April 2010
(47) in
2009
October 2010
Number of
Children
Screened
(47) in April
2011
Number of
Children
Screened
(62) in
October 2011
Number of
Children
Screened
(44) in April
2012
Total
Children
Screened
Possible Delays Detected By Free Community Wide
Screening Over the Last Three Years
25
21
20
19 19
18
18 18
17
16
17
16
October 2009
15
14
13
April 2010
13
October 2010
12
11
11
Apr-11
10
10
9
8
10
9
10
Oct-11
9
8
Apr-12
8
7
7
6
5
4
4
4
7 7
6
4
3
1
0
0
1
0 0 0
Thanks to our Community Screening Project Sponsors :
Children’s Medical Services – Whole Child Leon- Florida Diagnostic
and Learning Resources System-Capital Area Chapter of the Florida
Association for Infant Mental Health- Leon County Schools
Children’s Home Society Early Steps and Family Connections
Programs- Early Learning Coalition- Brehon Institute for Family
Services. Leon County Health Department, Dr. Edward Zapert-Dr. Jean
Pierre Bastien of the local Dental Association
Thanks to our Community Screening Project Sponsors
(Continued):
Florida State University: College of Communication Disorders- Autism
Institute, First Words/CARD, School of Medecine
Apalachee Mental Health Center-Department of Children and
Families-Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition
Technical Assistance and Training System Project-Tallahassee
Community College-Early Head Start-Boys Town of North Florida
Tallahassee Democrat-WTXL-WCTV - Costco