Few studies exist which document the presence or prevalence of secondary conditions among individuals with disabilities in the learning domain. The few studies that have been published describe small samples and clinic populations. Using a relatively universal data set of special education, the investigators identified a cohort of adolescents with exceptionalities of mental retardation, learning disability, autism, and TBI as they entered high school. School enrollment patterns were tracked until age 22, when individuals were no longer eligible for special education services. To date, the education data of this cohort has been linked to client data sets maintained by state agencies for mental health, mental retardation, substance abuse, vocational rehabilitation, and criminal justice with plans to link to other data sets such as Medicaid, and birth certificates. The resulting picture of service utilization suggests that individuals with disabilities in the learning domain have higher rates of school dropout, criminal behavior, psychological and emotional problems, and substance abuse than other disability populations. However their use of services to address these secondary conditions is lower. These preliminary findings suggest a need for earlier identification of risk and intervention.
Learning Objectives: Identify sources of state-level data that provide information about prevalence of specified secondary conditions; Describe age specific rates of 4 types of disability among adolescents in Alabama; Discuss advantages and challenges of using data linking to identify and track secondary conditions
Keywords: Disability, Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.