​Summary:  This policy brief describes developmental screening among California children ages 1–5, using data from the California Health Interview Survey, 2007 and 2015–2018.  

Findings: Between 2007 and 2015, the proportion of parents reporting that their child had received developmental screening increased. Combined data from 2015 to 2018 show that the prevalence of developmental assessments varied by household income, insurance type, parental education level, and race and ethnicity. Children living in households with incomes of 300% or more of the federal poverty level (FPL) or where parents had more than a high school education were more likely to have received a developmental assessment. Race and ethnicity were also factors: Latinx children had a lower prevalence of assessment than white, non-Latinx children. Health care and preschool settings are opportune places for children to be assessed, and educating the public and providers about the value of assessment can help boost California rates of developmental assessments.​

This study uses 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data.