Developmental screening in community health care centers and pediatric practices: an evaluation of the Baby Steps Program.

Shannon et al. (2008) parked a developmental specialist inside regular well-child visits. While families waited, the specialist ran a quick screen for delays.

The project took place in community health centers and pediatric offices. Kids who flagged concerns got an on-the-spot referral to early-intervention services.

The Baby Steps model caught children who had been missed before. Providers also felt more confident spotting delays after working beside the specialist.

Referrals rose, and families left the clinic with evaluation appointments already booked.

Li et al. (2018) built on this idea in Shanghai. They added a short play observation and follow-up phone call to the usual paper checklist. Their two-step version doubled autism detection and boosted referral follow-through.

Eussen et al. (2016) moved the job away from clinics entirely. They trained childcare workers to complete screening forms; 90% were returned and 3% of children were later confirmed with ASD. Together these studies show the same core idea—screen where children already are—can travel across settings and informants.

Leung et al. (2014) sounded a caution note. In primarily Hispanic primary-care clinics, 26–39% of toddlers screened positive, far above typical rates. Higher positivity is not a failure; it reflects language, culture, and poverty factors. Their data warn BCBAs to plan extra evaluation slots when serving underserved groups.

You do not need a separate visit to find kids who need help. Embed brief, evidence-based screening into routines that already happen—well-child checks, daycare drop-off, or parent–teacher conferences. Have a referral pathway ready so a positive screen turns into an appointment, not just a phone number. Start small: add one screening tool and one local referral partner next month, then track how many families actually make it to evaluation.