NYS Early Intervention Program Endorses the DC: 0-5 as a Recommended Assessment Tool
The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Early Intervention (BEI) has announced the availability of the revised List of Developmental Assessment Instruments which now includes the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0-5). DC:0-5 was developed because existing classification systems such as DSM 5 did not adequately reflect the unique developmental and relational experiences of infants and young children. DC:0-5 is a multi-axial system that considers a child’s clinical disorder only after issues such as the child’s health, development, psychosocial stressors, culture, as well as the nature of the child’s relationship with important caregivers, have all been assessed. This tool enhances the professional’s ability to diagnose and treat mental health problems and developmental disorders in the earliest years by identifying and describing disorders not addressed in other classification systems and by pointing the way to effective intervention approaches.
[Continued from newsletter]
The Department will develop and issue a corresponding DC:0-5 Crosswalk Tool to help Early Intervention Program (EIP) providers convert DC:0-5 diagnoses to associated ICD diagnostic codes and DSM diagnoses. The list of developmental assessment instruments is an inventory that can be used by early intervention providers when completing multidisciplinary evaluations (MDEs) to determine a child’s eligibility for services.
The following is a link to free training on DC:0-5 for those interested in learning more:
Read an article about New York State’s initiative to promote the use of the DC:0-5:
Blanck, E.J., Foley, G.M. and Costa, G. (2022). Start spreading the news: New York State’s DC:0-5 Initiative. Zero to Three Journal. Washington, DC: ZERO TO THREE, 38-46.