Assembly Bill 340 – Trauma Screening Advisory Workgroup
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Assembly Bill (AB) 340 (Arambula, Chapter 700, Statutes of 2017) required the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), in consultation with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and other partners, to convene an advisory working group to update, amend, or develop, if appropriate, tools and protocols for screening children for trauma as defined, within the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit, as specified.
The AB 340 Advisory Workgroup has the following tasks:
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Update, amend, or develop, if appropriate, tools and protocols for the screening of children for trauma, within the EPSDT benefit.
Assess existing screening tools used in the Medi-Cal program, including, but not limited to, the Staying Healthy Assessment developed by the department, the United States Preventive Services Task Force grade “A” or “B” recommendations, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Bright Futures periodicity schedule and anticipatory guidance; and the efficacy and appropriateness of the types of providers authorized to administer screenings.
Report its findings and recommendations, as well as any appropriations necessary to implement those recommendations, to DHCS and the Legislature’s budget subcommittees on health and human services no later than May 1, 2019.
In 2018, the Trauma Screening Advisory Group convened state staff, legislative staff, county mental health experts, managed care plan experts, behavioral health experts, child welfare experts, and stakeholders in Sacramento. As of January 2019, the initial workgroup has concluded and submitted its recommendations to DHCS and the Legislature. Pursuant to statutory requirements, DHCS will identify an existing advisory working group to periodically review and consider the trauma screening protocol.