Code Section

124040.  

(a) The governing body of each county or counties shall establish a community child health and disability prevention program for the purpose of providing early and periodic assessments of the health status of children in the county or counties by July 1, 1974. However, this shall be the responsibility of the department for all counties that contract with the state for health services. Contract counties, at the option of the board of supervisors, may provide services pursuant to this article in the same manner as other county programs, if the option is exercised prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. Each plan shall include, but is not limited to, the following requirements:

(1) Outreach and educational services.

(2) Agreements with public and private facilities and practitioners to carry out the programs.

(3) Health screening and evaluation services for all children, including a physical examination, immunizations appropriate for the child’s age and health history, and laboratory procedures appropriate for the child’s age and population group performed by, or under the supervision or responsibility of, a physician licensed to practice medicine in California or by a certified family nurse practitioner or a certified pediatric nurse practitioner.

(4) Referral for diagnosis or treatment when needed, including, for all children eligible for Medi-Cal, referral for treatment by a provider participating in the Medi-Cal program of the conditions detected, and methods for assuring referral is carried out.

(5) Recordkeeping and program evaluations.

(6) The health screening and evaluation part of each community child health and disability prevention program plan shall include, but is not limited to, the following for each child:

(A) A health and development history.

(B) An assessment of physical growth.

(C) An examination for obvious physical defects.

(D) Ear, nose, mouth, and throat inspection, including inspection of teeth and gums, and for all children one year of age and older who are eligible for Medi-Cal, referral to a dentist participating in the Medi-Cal program.

(E) Screening tests for vision, hearing, anemia, tuberculosis, diabetes, and urinary tract conditions.

(7) An assessment of nutritional status.

(8) An assessment of immunization status.

(9) If appropriate, testing for sickle-cell trait, lead poisoning, and other tests that may be necessary to the identification of children with potential disabilities requiring diagnosis and possibly treatment.

(10) For all children eligible for Medi-Cal, necessary assistance with scheduling appointments for services and with transportation.

(b) Dentists receiving referrals of children eligible for Medi-Cal under this section shall employ procedures to advise the child’s parent or parents of the need for and scheduling of annual appointments.

(c) Standards for procedures to carry out health screening and evaluation services and to establish the age at which particular tests should be carried out shall be established by the director. At the discretion of the department, these health screening and evaluation services may be provided at the frequency provided under the Healthy Families Program and permitted in managed care plans providing services under the Medi-Cal program, and shall be contingent upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act. Immunizations may be provided at the frequency recommended by the Committee on Infectious Disease of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(d)  Each community child health and disability prevention program shall, pursuant to standards set by the director, establish a record system that contains a health case history for each child so that costly and unnecessary repetition of screening, immunization and referral will not occur and appropriate health treatment will be facilitated as specified in Section 124085.