Early Intervention (EI) aims to lessen the effects of developmental delay by providing services to infants and young children. Newborn screening (NBS) is a public health program that identifies infants with treatable conditions, although many conditions put children at risk of developmental delay even after medical intervention. The purpose of…

We document the characteristics of children and young adults identified in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics as having a learning disability and study whether legislative changes in diagnosis criteria have had a noticeable effect determining who receives a diagnosis. We further document that children and young adults identified as a having a…

Disproportionality persists with regard to the labeling of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A blending of critical race theory and disability studies, or DisCrit, provides a framework to examine disproportionality. In this article, a DisCrit mindset is applied to examine how racism and ableism intersect to disproportionately…

Justice-involved youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at an increased risk of recidivism compared to their peers with and without disabilities. Due to the complexity and unique needs of youth with IDD served in the juvenile justice system, transition supports and services must be individualized and youth-centered…

Early intervention for children with developmental delays or disabilities may prevent future need for special education services. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) allows each state to establish criteria for eligibility for early intervention services for children younger than 3 years old (Part C) and special education…

This document, from the Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health (DEBH), provides clear and compelling support for the abolishment of solitary confinement with incarcerated youth and young adults in juvenile and adult correctional facilities. This is the first position statement from DEBH on the topic, and the…

The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention for enhancing the language development of young children enrolled in home visiting programs. The participants were 59 children (18-30 months old) enrolled in one of three types of home visiting programs. Children's language…

Each year, instead of living with a parent or legal guardian, thousands of students live on their own or reside with someone who serves as a caregiver. The caregiver may be a relative, friend, school employee, or other individual. Some caregivers provide little to no support for youth staying with them, while others, especially with younger…

Early intervention (EI) services are provided for families and children at risk for or with developmental delays. Early intervention includes services that are provided in the natural environment as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 2004). The natural environment is where children and families would naturally spend…

California continues to fall below national averages in identifying and serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with developmental disabilities. The transition between infant/toddler services, administered by the Department of Developmental Services, and preschool services for 3- to 5-year-olds, administered by the Department of Education, is…

In the United States, there is a widespread concern with not referring more infants and toddlers with a risk of or identified autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to Early Intervention (EI) under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004). Despite early signs and screening initiatives, most children with ASD are not referred…

The National Council on Disability (NCD) undertook this report to increase the understanding of guardianship and its impact on the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and their families. Guardianship is the process through which an adult can be found legally incapable of making decisions for him or herself and…

The federal definition of emotional disturbance (ED) includes a social maladjustment (SM) exclusion clause that stipulates that students are not eligible for special education services if they are determined to be "socially maladjusted" and not also meeting criteria for ED. This clause has long been criticized for being ambiguous and…

The 2016-2017 "Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Strategic Plan" is organized around seven general topic areas that are represented in the Plan as community-focused questions (e.g., Question 1, "How can I recognize the signs of ASD, and why is early detection so important?," which covers the topic of screening…

Access to high-quality education for youth is critical to their long-term success as adults. Youth in juvenile justice secure care facilities, however, too often do not have access to the high-quality education and related supports and services that they need, particularly youth with disabilities residing in such facilities. This brief discusses…