298360
Ease of Service Access and Receipt of Educational Services among US Children with Developmental Conditions
Data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) were linked to 2011 Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services (Pathways) data. Three Pathways educational services receipt indicators were used as dependent variables: current individualized education plan (IEP), IEP addressing parent concerns, and routine receipt of one or more school-based therapy (speech, occupational, physical, social skills training). The 2009-2010 NS-CSHCN ease of service access composite measure of difficulties, delays, and frustration accessing needed services in the child’s community was the main independent variable. Weighted descriptive statistics were computed, and weighted multiple logistic regression models adjusted for child sociodemographic factors, functional limitations status, and developmental condition type were fit.
An estimated 1,803,112 US school-age children with developmental conditions were represented by the sample of 3518 children; 1441 had DD, 1420 had ASD, and 657 had ID. Access to and receipt of services were lacking among these children: 50.3% could easily access services; 16.9% did not have an IEP; 83.8% had an IEP that addressed parent concerns; and 66.4% routinely received one or more school-based therapy. Children whose parents could easily access services had 3.30 times the adjusted odds of having an IEP that addressed parent concerns than those unable to easily access services (95% CI:1.94-5.60;P<.001).
Many US children with developmental disabilities remain unable to access and receive needed services to promote health.
Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and preventionOther professions or practice related to public health
Learning Objectives:
Describe the relationship between ease of service access and educational services receipt among US school-age children with developmental conditions.
Identify the policy and practice implications regarding the relationship demonstrated between ease of service access and receipt of educational services among US school-age children with developmental conditions.
Keyword(s): Children With Special Needs, School-Based Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have performed qualitative and quantitative health services research focused on US maternal and child subpopulations over the past 6 years in the nonprofit, academic and governmental sectors. I earned an MPH concentrated in child and adolescent health along with a graduate certificate in maternal and child health from Johns Hopkins University in 2008. I am a public health doctoral student at Oregon State University focused on child health services and child health promotion research.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.