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Rhode Island Value:
Percentage of children ages 9-35 months whose parent completed a standardized developmental screening tool for them in the past 12 months (2-year estimate)
Rhode Island Rank:
Percentage of multiracial children ages 9-35 months whose parent completed a standardized developmental screening tool for them in the past 12 months (2-year estimate)
63.8% - 51.5%
51.4% - 50.3%
50.2% - 48.6%
48.5% - 40.6%
40.5% - 20.1%
No Data
US Value: 36.5 %
Top State(s): Vermont: 65.6 %
Bottom State(s): Nevada: 20.3 %
Definition: Percentage of children ages 9-35 months whose parent completed a standardized developmental screening tool for them in the past 12 months (2-year estimate)
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, National Survey of Children's Health, 2023-2024
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, National Survey of Children's Health, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Regular well-child visits with a health care provider are an integral part of promoting healthy growth and development. During these visits, doctors screen for delays or problems in the child’s development. These screenings can lead to early detection of developmental disabilities such as autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which can then lead to better treatments and improved outcomes. An estimated 14% of children in the United States have some form of developmental disorder, reinforcing the importance of routine screening in facilitating timely diagnosis and intervention.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of developmental screening is higher among:
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that every child receive developmental screenings at 9, 18, 24 and 30 months of age during their well-child visits. The 2010 Affordable Care Act included coverage for important early intervention preventive services, such as developmental and autism screenings, behavioral assessments as well as hearing and vision screenings.
Other pilot initiatives to increase the proportion of children who receive developmental screening include:
Healthy People 2030 has an objective to increase the proportion of children who receive developmental screening.
Ferris, Melanie, and Darcie Thomsen. Coordinating Communities for Healthy Development: Lessons Learned through Minnesota’s Assuring Better Child Development (ABCD III) Project. Saint Paul, MN: Wilder Research, October 2012. https://www.wilder.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ABCD_III_FinalReport_10-12.pdf.
Halla, Martin, Gerald J. Pruckner, and Thomas Schober. “Cost Savings of Developmental Screenings: Evidence from a Nationwide Program.” Journal of Health Economics 49 (September 2016): 120–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2016.06.011.
Lipkin, Paul H., Michelle M. Macias, COUNCIL ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, SECTION ON DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS, Kenneth W. Norwood, Timothy J. Brei, Lynn F. Davidson, Beth Ellen Davis, et al. “Promoting Optimal Development: Identifying Infants and Young Children With Developmental Disorders Through Developmental Surveillance and Screening.” Pediatrics 145, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): e20193449. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-3449.
Malik, Fauzia, John M. Booker, Shannon Brown, Catherine McClain, and Jane McGrath. “Improving Developmental Screening Among Pediatricians in New Mexico: Findings From the Developmental Screening Initiative.” Clinical Pediatrics 53, no. 6 (March 20, 2014): 531–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0009922814527499.
Roux, Anne M., Patricia Herrera, Cheryl M. Wold, Margaret C. Dunkle, Frances P. Glascoe, and Paul T. Shattuck. “Developmental and Autism Screening Through 2-1-1: Reaching Underserved Families.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 43, no. 6 (December 2012): S457–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.08.011.
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