What is EPSDT?

The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) service is Medicaid's comprehensive and preventive child health program for individuals under the age of 21. EPSDT has always been part of the Medicaid regulations. EPSDT is key to ensuring that children and adolescents receive appropriate preventive, dental, mental health, and developmental, and specialty services.

Early - Assessing and identifying problems early
Periodic - Checking children's health at periodic, age-appropriate intervals
Screening - Providing physical, mental, developmental, dental, hearing, vision, and other screening tests to detect potential problems
Diagnosis - Performing diagnostic tests to follow up when a risk is identified, and
Treatment - Control, correct or reduce health problems found.