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Show EPSDT Screening Program Underway The Utah State Department of Health has recently reorganized the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program (EPSDT). EPSDT is a federal (75 percent) and state (25 percent) funded comprehensive health care program designed to meet the health care needs of medicade eligible children from birth to 21 years of age. The program recognizes that good health is the basic factor for development of a productive adult. Poverty and health status are intimately related. Untreated health defects lead to dependency and in turn to the perpetuation of the welfare cycle. Eligible children will receive a comprehensive health examination by medical, dental, and other health care experts, thus making services available before health problems become chronic and expensive to treat. This also increases the chance that eligible children can become productive workers of society in adulthood, contributing members in the labor force and in-dependnent of public assistance programs. All screening, diagnostic and treatment services are rendered without charge to eligible participants. Services for visual testing, hearing evaluation, speech evaluation, dental care, and other services will be provided in many health care settings such as clinics, health departments, and private providers' offices. The program is based on a preventive health philosophy of discovering and treating health problems before they become disabling and therefore far more costly to treat in terms of both human and financial resources. The program is comprehensive, designed to examine all aspects of a client's well-being, and correct any problems that are discovered. MMMMMMMMMMMC |