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COVID-19 News and Resources

• Statement from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on COVID-19 Vaccines for 5-11 Year Olds. Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation to make 5-11 year old children eligible for COVID-19 vaccines after the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)’s authorization, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra issued a statement on the landmark moment to increase children’s protection during this pandemic.
• CDC Recommends Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 5 to 11 Years: Media Statement. CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation that children 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine. CDC now expands vaccine recommendations to about 28 million children in the United States in this age group and allows providers to begin vaccinating them as soon as possible. 
• AAP Statement on Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued recommendations related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in children and adolescents:
• Vaccination Information: Pediatric Community Facilities and Immunization Policy. See this page for important resources related to vaccines during COVID-19: Pediatric immunization locations, the immunization policy for in-person attendance, and information on how to schedule an appointment at school-based health centers.
• Please share with your families: AAP's response to "Is it OK to call my pediatrician during COVID-19?"
• DC Health recommends clinical practices focus on increasing access to care and conducting family engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read their letter on Pediatric Preventive Care and School Health.
• DC's COVID-19 Web Portal. Information to share with patients on how to protect themselves, what to do if they experience symptoms, testing appointments, unemployment benefits, and COVID-19 resources in multiple languages.
• Guidance for MCOs on Outreach Messaging for Well-Child Visits During DC Public Health Emergency. Summary of guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Guidance on Strong Start/Early Intervention Service Delivery Through Telemedicine During DC Public Health Emergency. A series of Q&As developed for OSSE’s Strong Start/Early Intervention Program services.
• DC's COVID-19 Newsroom. Find the latest news, clinical announcements, and resources for patients here.
• Health Center Resource Clearinghouse COVID-19 Portal. Access COVID-19 resources developed for community health centers.
• Overview of EPSDT: Navigating Medicaid's Pediatric Benefit During COVID-19. Presentation by the Health/Wellness Subcommittee, SECDCC (04/23/20).
• Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19): Interim Guidance for Outpatient Pediatric Providers in the District of Columbia. This guidance outlines DC Health recommendations for pediatric providers regarding continued pediatric care amidst widespread community transmission of COVID-19.

Mental Health News

• DC-Approved Child Mental Health Screening Tools. This document, updated in July 2021, explains the background and methodology for choosing screening tools as conducted by the DC Collaborative for Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care. It includes detailed information about administration, scoring, psychometric properties, and ordering information. Also see the Domain-Specific Screening Tools crosswalk.
• School Mental Health In Washington, DC. This landing page provides videos and resources on DC's behavioral health services for children and youth in public and public charter schools, DC's current Comprehensive Expansion in School Behavioral Health, and the role of the DC School Behavioral Health Community of Practice to support the Expansion in schools across the city.
• Improving Adolescent and Young Adult Health: Challenges and Opportunities Emerging from the Covid-19 Pandemic. This two-page brief offers strategies for advancing health care for AYAs during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. It includes a focus on preventive services and mental and behavioral health care, in the context of the pandemic.
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Resource Guide for use by pediatric primary care providers in the Washington, DC area. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive listing of community behavioral health resources for children and adolescents in the District of Columbia. This latest version includes information about the operating status of agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic along with updated information related to the DC Medicaid managed care organizations, including searchable filters for CareFirst Community Health Plan DC and Medstar Family Choice MCOs.
• Autism Spectrum Disorders Toolkit for Pediatric Primary Care Providers in the District of Columbia. This toolkit focuses specifically on supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families, by providing primary care providers with the tools to help families navigate the developmental disabilities landscape in Washington, DC.
• The DC Collaborative for Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care has developed Resources for Cross-Sector Collaborative Care (July 2019). These include:
  • Supporting Your Child's Development (English)
  • Apoyando el Desarrollo de su Hijo(a)/Supporting Your Child's Development (Spanish)
• Read the new Department of Health Care Finance transmittal – Pediatric Mental Health and Maternal Depression Screening Coverage and Tools (appoved 05/13/19). This transmittal discusses behavioral health in primary care as well as referral and provider resources.
• Updated Perinatal Mental Health Resources
• CDC's Autism Case Training: a free introductory course designed to help primary health care providers gain knowledge and skills to improve early identification of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and ensure timely and appropriate care.
• DC MAP (Mental health Access in Pediatrics) is a program aimed at improving mental health integration within pediatric primary care. The website offers links to consultation, training, referrals, education, and medication reviews.

Oral Health News

• The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign wants to remind families that with Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage, children and teens up to age 19 can receive the necessary dental care, including regular check-ups, x-rays, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and fillings, to keep them healthy and smiling. The Campaign offers a variety of resources:
  - Twitter and Facebook graphics are available in English and Spanish to share on social media.
  - Tip sheet with advice on sharing dental health education materials.
  - Find a Dentist tool to locate a dentist in their area that accepts Medicaid and CHIP.
• Materials specifically for expectant mothers, toddlers, and children with special needs on their Oral Health Initiative page.
• Note on Billing for Fluoride Varnish. DC Medicaid primary care providers who have completed fluoride varnish training can bill the Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicaid program and the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) for fluoride varnish application on a child under 3 (three) years of age.  Currently, DC Medicaid primary care providers who are enrolled and trained by DC HealthCheck can bill FFS and the MCOs for the application of fluoride varnish using CDT code D1206 or CPT code 99188. When this policy was implemented in 2014, CDT code D1206 was the only procedure code for fluoride varnish application and since then CPT 99188 code was added to the fee schedule. 
  1. Effective March 1, 2018, DC Medicaid (FFS and the MCOs) will no longer reimburse primary care providers for fluoride varnish claims submitted using the CDT code D1206. Only fluoride varnish claims submitted by primary care providers using the CPT code 99188 will be processed and paid.
  2. All fluoride varnish claims received by primary care providers for visits that occurred before March 1, 2018 will be processed. However, any varnish claims received by primary care providers for a date service after March 1, 2018, will only be paid if the claim for fluoride varnish application is coded using the CPT code 99188.
• ADA State Fact Sheets on Geographic Access to Dental Care. The American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute published one-page infographic for each state, including the District of Columbia, highlighting access to dental care for Medicaid beneficiaries. The District’s fact sheet highlights that 100% of publicly insured children live in areas where there is at least one Medicaid dentist per 2,000 publicly insured children within a 15-minute travel time. Click here to learn more.

Other News

• We are pleased to share that The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health and a DC interagency workgroup have produced a Navigation Tool for Youth and Families in DC Moving from Child to Adult Public Program Services. This tool can be used as a starting point to learn about specific agencies, program eligibility, documentation requirements, and services 
• DC Health Search helps residents and visitors find primary care facilities in the District of Columbia. Users can enter a address to search for nearby primary care centers within a mile or up to 10 miles. Also, use this web map to search by Ward or Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANC).
• Find a map of DC Pediatric Immunization Locations that include those that accept Medicaid.
• The Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine and The Pediatric Health Network of Children’s National Hospital are pleased to sponsor a weekly interactive conference on a common neurologic or behavioral condition that may be exacerbated in the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the series and access the link to join the webinars here.
• Transmittal 19-24-DHCF-DOEE Joint Letter Regarding Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The purpose of this transmittal is to inform DC Medicaid Pediatric Providers on the District's blood lead screening requirements. The Department of Health Care Finance and the Department of Energy and Environment jointly issue the attached letter. Please share with your staff and colleagues.
• See the DC Medicaid HealthCheck Periodicity Schedules! (Health and Dental) and HealthCheck Outreach Materials (English and Spanish) | Read the official Transmittal describing the periodicity update.

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