Oral

In keeping with the theme of the 2008 Annual Meeting this session focuses on the impact of public policy on services for children with special health care needs. Most US children with special health care needs have coverage, but families continue to report unmet needs for health and related services. The first paper will look at predictors of underinsurance for children with special health care needs. The next presentation in the session will shift to Taiwan, providing further evidence from a country in which coverage is nearly universal that coverage alone is not adequate to assure access to needed services. The third and fourth presentations will identify particular strategies to improve care for children with special health care needs.

Session Objectives: 1.Review national agenda for children and youth with special health care needs; 2.Explore relevance of that agenda to growing population of children with autism spectrum conditions; 3. Identify new policy strategies to advance achievement of the national agenda; Clarify place of financing of care within that agenda; 4. Demonstrate relevance of strategies that go beyond financing as necessary to meet child and family needs.