The 2003 reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) mandated that state child welfare systems conduct developmental screening with all children under the age of three. Research indicates that states have struggled with this mandate. This 2014 study assessed how states chose to screen children for developmental delays or disabilities and refer them for early intervention services. Representatives from 47 State Part C Early Intervention Systems responded to a survey that asked about how screenings are conducted, degree of interagency collaboration, perceptions of current plans, and training. Results indicate inconsistency in developmental screening efforts, variability in state plans, funding, and training
may all play a role in the inconsistency.
