
History of DC: 0-5TM
Massachusetts has long been investing in bringing and disseminating the DC: 0-5™ in our state. Multiple agencies have partnered and blended funding to provide the clinical DC: 0-5™ training since 2017 – Department of Public Health, MassHealth, Boston Public Health Commission, and Department of Mental Health (DMH). In 2020, MassHealth sponsored a Train-the-Trainer which allowed our state to expand its capacity and have 9 state trainers. At the same time, the MassAIMH/MSPCC Partnership and DMH came together to create coordinated support for trainers’ and stakeholders’ communication, and develop clinical training plans across the state, along with reflective case consultation and communities of practice.
MA efforts are highlighted below in this article from Zero to Three!
DC: 0-5TM Crosswalk
After several years of work, collaboration with stakeholder groups, and consultation with MassHealth, the MA Crosswalk was published in June 2022. Please click on the image to download the Crosswalk.

MassHealth issued an All Provider Bulletin 350 in August 2022, encouraging the use of developmentally appropriate tools for assessment and supporting the use of the DC: 0-5™ and its crosswalk when working with children under the age of 6.
DC: 0-5™ TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
DC:0-5™ CLINICAL TRAINING
Description: Clinical DC:0-5™ training is designed to support providers in adopting the approach, understanding the multi-axial system, and utilizing the classification system in their work with children from birth through age five. Clinicians will be supported in adopting approaches to diagnosis and assessment that are developmentally informed, relationship-based, and culturally competent.
Length: 12 hours (over the course of 3 days)
Who: For providers and their team members who will be assessing young children that need a complete understanding of the tool, in order to provide developmentally appropriate, relationship-based, and culturally competent assessment and will be using the Crosswalk to bill for services.
DC:0-5™ OVERVIEW TRAINING
Description: Overview DC:0-5™ training provides a foundation for understanding this diagnostic system for professionals who work with infants and young children. The training will provide participants with an overview of the background, approach, and content areas of DC:0-5™ and is particularly helpful for allied professionals in understanding the importance of developmentally appropriate diagnostic practices.
Length: Brief overview: 2 hours
Who: For anyone interested in learning more about this tool; for allied professionals or individuals whose professional role supports the system of care for children from birth through age five; for billing and agency leadership to support understanding of this new approach being introduced to the agency. Some overview trainings may be tailored to specific audiences.
DC:0-5™ REFLECTIVE CASE CONSULTATION
Description: Case-based consultation is to provide ongoing support to professionals trained in the clinical DC:0-5TM trainings in MA. Through case-based webinars professionals will have opportunities to apply the principles in the DC:0-5TM to actual clinical situations they (or their colleagues) are encountering in their agency settings.
Length: 2 hours
Who: For any previously trained DC:0-5™ professional
DC 0-5™ COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
Come join your colleagues across the State to share and learn of ways to integrate the DC:0-5™ into your practice. This 90-minute session will include panel discussions, practice-based discussions, small group discussions, and statewide updates.
For questions, please e-mail dc05matraining@gmail.com
DC: 0-5TM SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES
(Additional resources to be posted shortly)