| The Foundations of Better
Lead Screening for Children in Medicaid: Data Systems and Collaboration
was developed with the support of The Commonwealth Fund and
showcases strategies from five states where intense effort has
gone into improving lead screening among the high-risk population
of children who are Medicaid beneficiaries. The report’s
practical how-to information is of immediate importance to administrators
and staff of state Medicaid agencies and state and local health
departments, as well as to advocates and policy makers. Among
the various topics covered are: combining lead screening data
with Medicaid data; state policies that support screening and
follow-up care; and using maps to simplify complex information
on screening.
Young Medicaid beneficiaries comprise 83% of children in
the US with lead levels high enough to require professional
follow-up care. Even so, screening among these children remains
astonishingly low. In fact, of 42 states reporting Medicaid
screening rates for 1999, 25 reported screening fewer than
10% of enrolled children. These rates are even more startling
given that a federal requirement for lead screening has been
in for nearly a decade. The Foundations of Better Lead Screening for Children in
Medicaid: Data Systems and Collaboration describes promising
strategies to improve lead screening for this high-risk group.
Free copies can be obtained from the links below or by contacting
the Alliance at info@afhh.org or 202-543-1147. This report can be downloaded entirely in three PDF files: Click on the following icon 
to download Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Home page. | 
