Early and Periodic Screening Diagnostic and Treatment Program

California has compensated several counties retroactively for expenditures on Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT), and is assuring counties that obligations under the federally mandated program have not been dropped in their laps.

Lead child welfare advocates in California fear that the state’s social services “Realignment,” the conversion of former state programs into a block grant for counties, will stunt the already-sluggish attempt to expand and improve mental health screening and treatment of foster youth and other poor children.