Improving child find through tailored outreach to primary referral sources.

The messenger matters a great deal in building rapport and establishing credibility The person conducting outreach to primary referral sources needs to be assured, confident, ffid knowledgeable about his or her program and what the program has to offer both the primary referral source and the children and families being referred. [...] Concise, graphic, wrirten materials include descriptions of the children a program serves, rhe resources and support$ that are available to eligible chiidren, the benefits to both the referral source and the children referred, and the methods used ro rnake referrals. [...] The following activities are likely tr: lead to successful child find and to increased referrais, Scheduling the Visit, Thke the time to find out \Arhen primary refer- ral sources are available to see you, 'lIou want to be able to make a visit without the need for an appointment, For example, physicians are often i , r, ,,,,.,,,,,. [...] As soon as you know, inform the pri- rnary referral source about the findings or results of an evaiuation or requested service(s) and the actions that will or have been mken' The *or* timely the feedback, the more likely prima.ry referral sources will continue to make referrals. [...] The benefits of tallored ourreach to primary referral sources can be expected to be realized in a number of wafs" One is an increase in the number of children located through child find.