Preface and Acknowledgements

The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) thanks the many people who sup 

ported the production of this toolkit.  We recognize Peggy Oehlmann, formerly of

CHCS, for leading the development and early implementation of the BCAP

Workgroup on Enhancing Child Development Services in Medicaid Managed Care. We

thank Beth Smith, MD, of Dartmouth Hitchcock Concord; Susanne Salem Schatz,

ScD, of HealthCare Quality Initiatives; and Jane Deane Clark, PhD, of CHCS, for

helping plans embrace the importance of measurement.  We acknowledge Christina

Trank of CHCS for her careful review of this toolkit and are grateful to Rosa

Novatkowski of CHCS, who provided administrative support.  We thank Melinda

Abrams and Edward Schor, MD, of The Commonwealth Fund and Stephen Somers,

PhD, President of CHCS, for their motivation and for continually underscoring the

importance of the work and the opportunities that lie ahead.

We also recognize the highly committed members of the Enhancing Child

Development Services in Medicaid Managed Care workgroup who drove systems level

improvements for Medicaid beneficiaries. 

How this Toolkit is Organized

This toolkit chronicles the experiences of the 11 Medicaid managed care organizations in piloting activities

to improve early childhood screening and anticipatory guidance, with an emphasis on preventive pediatric

care. The toolkit reviews the BCAP Quality Framework and highlights strategies used to improve the delivery

of child development services, including early identification of developmental disabilities, improving out 

reach to members, enhancing provider partnerships, improving reimbursement and referral practices, and

recognizing potential returns on investment.  Case studies illustrate how plans applied the BCAP Quality

Framework to improve child development services in Medicaid managed care.  It is our hope that health

plans, states, and other stakeholders committed to improving the quality of children's health care can glean

ideas from this toolkit on how to systematically enhance the effectiveness of child development services. 

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