EPSDT: Early and Period Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Services and Bright Futures

EPSDT is Medicaid’s program for ensuring that eligible individuals under age 21 receive comprehensive and preventive child health services. However, a recent study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that less than 50% of children in the study sample received any documented EPSDT services.

In the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' State Medicaid Manual (Section 5123.2), Bright Futures is cited as an example of recognized and accepted clinical practice guidelines for EPSDT screening. Based on the Bright Futures guidelines and other resources, the Distance Education Project has developed an EPSDT curriculum tailored for providers of pediatric preventive health care services.

For nearly a decade, Bright Futures has been used nationwide as a standard of care in both private and clinic-based practice, in managed care settings, and in multidisciplinary training programs for health professionals. The guidelines have also served as a model of care for SCHIP and other health programs and policies.

Our project team is currently working on two EPSDT distance learning projects. To learn more about these projects, please contact us.

The Bright Futures Well-Child Curriculum that will include a national EPSDT curriculum and opportunities to work together to suit individual state's training needs.	The HealthCheck Provider Education System with the District of Columbia's Medical Assistance Administration an online EPSDT curriculum for DC's primary care providers, detailing the periodicity, preventive care, and appropriate documentation for each well-child visit.