Information Concerning Developmental Screenings and Questionnaires

Hello Georgetown Parents & Patients, we would like to go over a few items that you have had questions regarding and explain why these items are vitally important to the care your child(ren) receive with us.  We feel, as a Practice, that it is our job to inform, educate and navigate through the issues and behaviors that can arise throughout a child’s life, and to help the family address some very common concerns that can play a part in the health and welfare of your teenagers. 

It has come to our attention that some parents have concerns with their teenagers completing the screening questionnaires that we give to all teens, ages 12-21 years, this is mandated by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics).  Whether it is a financial or a personal reason that you have concerns with these screening questionnaires, we would like to highlight why we feel it is an absolute necessity to be open and direct with our teenagers in dealing with mental and behavioral health as well as high-risk behavior.

We have two screenings that we rely highly on.  These screenings have been developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and are offered through TCCN (The Children’s Care Network).

PHQ-9

This form deals mostly with Depression and how your child feels about him/herself and how they handle their own thoughts and feelings. 

This is extremely important for your child’s Provider to have the opportunity to start an open and honest discussion with your son or daughter about his/her mental and behavioral health.  This is a private and confidential screening completed by your teenager, reviewed by the Provider in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics standards and if the Provider feels that a discussion is warranted, the Provider will address those concerns at their well-check appointment.

CRAFFT SCREENING

This screening deals with high-risk behaviors that can have major consequences if abused. 

In this screening, topics such as drugs, alcohol and driving under the influence are discussed.  We want to make sure                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             that your teenager thinks about what they are doing, makes good decisions. This is also a good way to begin an open dialog where your teen can feel comfortable in a discussion or feel they can ask questions of the Provider.  They will also be informed that it is all confidential and they can get accurate information from a trusted source.

INSURANCE

We do bill these screenings to your insurance company.  Some insurance companies will pay a portion of these screenings, some will pay for one of them, or some may not pay for either.  If your insurance company denies payment for these screenings, we will then offer them to you at a discounted rate.  We feel that it is important to address these issues early on and we are committed to making sure that your teen is able to manage the obstacles that confront teenagers in this age group. 

You may choose to opt out of your teenager completing these screenings; you just need to let us know prior to your child completing the forms.

Thank you,

The Provider’s at Georgetown Pediatrics PC