Access to Screening, Diagnosis and Services for Healthy Child Development

Many children have special needs, temporarily or throughout their lives. Others at risk can avoid permanent disability if helped early. Information and support – online, by phone and in the community – can help parents guide children through these challenges and find peace of mind. Unfortunately, many parents who notice something might be wrong with their child do not know how or where to find help. Together, we must put knowledge at parents’ fingertips, so that they can assess their children and obtain helpful information if there’s reason to be concerned..

Research

Florida’s future depends on its children and we have an obligation to help them develop to their full potential. Unfortunately, our approach to helping many of them – particularly the estimated 12 percent with special needs – is inadequate.

This failure to assist children with special needs hurts our youngest citizens and adds to the economic burden on Florida’s families. These costs will only grow in the future, when today’s children may fail to develop and grow into successful adults.

Many children have special needs, temporarily or throughout their lives. Others at risk can avoid permanent disability if helped early. Information and support – online, by phone and in the community – can help parents guide children through these challenges and find peace of mind.

Untreated special needs also incur long-term costs. Children who do not receive early identification and intervention have more difficulty succeeding in life and are more likely to get into trouble. Estimates indicate that early screening and treatment of special needs can save $30,000 to $100,000 per child over the long run.

Research conducted by The Washington Economics Group shows that every dollar spent by the state to improve the health and well-being of children creates an aggregate total of $4.55 in economic output. That is a return of 455 percent on investment.

Unfortunately, too many parents may notice something is wrong with their child, but do not know how or where to find help. We should put knowledge at parents’ fingertips so that they can assess their children and obtain helpful information if there’s reason to be concerned.

We propose launching Parent Portals to Healthy Child Development online, by phone, in the community and through new media. These are gateways to information that can put a troubled mother or father at ease. Currently, some parents don't know how to get their child screened for developmental progress. The Parent Portal to Healthy Child Development online gives parents access to these tests any time of the day or night. With consent, the test results can go right to the child’s provider.

We must expand the availability of evidence-based services such as Early Steps and Child Find. Too many children slip through the cracks due to restrictive eligibility requirements, long wait lists, too few specialists and coverage gaps.

Next, we must intervene early with treatments supported by the best evidence. Florida must address these persistent issues: The absence of statewide coordination of services and funding. The failure to share best interventions. Service gaps. No assurance of timely access to service. Insufficient high-quality data to evaluate outcomes.

We must create a single entity that represents parents, state agencies, child development experts and providers and works to develop a database of best interventions, existing services and eligibility, geographic coverage and evaluation data.

With a common sense investment, Florida can transform itself into a state that leads the nation in promoting healthy children. It can provide children with the tools they need and deserve to achieve real opportunity while reducing important tax burdens on Florida families.