To identify the state-level policies and policy domains that state policymakers and advocates perceive as most important for positively impacting the use of children's mental health services (CMHS). We used a modified Delphi technique (i.e., two rounds of questionnaires and an interview) during Spring 2021 to elicit perceptions among state mental…

Autism spectrum disorder is considered a vulnerability for many diseases including coronavirus disease 2019. This study investigated trends in coronavirus disease 2019 among children and adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder and to evaluate whether there are differences in the prevalence, severity, and case fatality rate. We used…

The "Annual Report on People with Disabilities in America" is a companion volume to the "2024 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium." Indicators were in the following areas of interest: employment, educational attainment, health and health care, financial status and security, leisure recreation, personal relationships, and…

This qualitative critical ethnographic study aimed to investigate the role of health literacy access among adult Hispanic Americans and how it affects self-care attitudes. The goal of this qualitative critical ethnographic study design was to see if previous healthcare service experiences influenced Hispanic American adults' attitudes toward…

Given existing barriers to a timely autism diagnosis, this study compares the efficiency and equity of diagnoses conducted in-person vs. telehealth in a developmental behavioral pediatrics setting. The transition to telehealth was prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eleven months of clinic data in electronic medical records were retrospectively…

Over 700,000 children throughout the U.S. have received insurance coverage through welcome mat effects of Medicaid expansion, including children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Utilizing health workforce data from the Health Resources and Services Administration, we examined workforce growth (2008-2017) among three types of health providers…

Wraparound programs that provide comprehensive evidence-based outpatient treatment, transportation, social services, and housing supports have shown promise for improving clinical behavioral health-related outcomes to reduce the need for institutionalized care; however, the majority of evidence is based on wraparound programs for children. This…

Autism is a lifelong condition characterized by repetitive and restrictive behaviors and differences in social communication. The reported prevalence of autism has risen exponentially in the past years. Early identification and subsequent early intervention are key to promoting better outcomes for autistic individuals. However, there is a dearth…

Inpatient hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) among beneficiaries with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were examined using Medicaid and commercial claims from 2010-2014 in New Hampshire. IDD was defined with "International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical…

In 2018, West Virginia teachers staged a statewide strike which lasted almost two weeks and included schools across all 55 countywide districts. The main reported strike issues for West Virginia teachers included cuts to their healthcare coverage by the state and relatively low salaries. Prior to the strike, West Virginia teachers ranked 48th in…

CUPA-HR's survey of benefits for higher education employees has been conducted since 2003. Prior to 2020-21, data were collected on healthcare benefits in odd years and non-healthcare benefits in even years. This year, we collected data on all benefits: healthcare benefits, including healthcare plans and wellness programs; and non-healthcare…

Children are at risk of short- and long-term morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. We examine whether autistic children and children with mental health conditions have higher odds of underlying health conditions at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19. We use claims data from a national sample of Medicaid-enrolled children for the years…

Background: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine for healthcare delivery was uncommon. Medicare restricted routine fee-for-service reimbursements for rural patients, with payments made under restricted circumstances. In response to the pandemic, the Department of HHS amended the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental…

Home care poverty is the inability of older people to access adequate home care services and their unmet needs for home care. With the increasing number of older adults (60 years old and above) with disability in China, the Chinese government pays more and more attention to home care. In this case, it is of great significance to explore whether…

Today, all 50 states have enacted mandates requiring some level of insurance coverage for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In this paper, I examine the impact of Massachusetts' mandate, ARICA (An Act Relative to Insurance Coverage for Autism) on the academic and behavioral outcomes of students with ASD in the state. Using…