This manual was designed primarily for use by individuals with developmental disabilities and related conditions. It is hoped that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with developmental disabilities. The main focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read…

The number of children with autism served in early intervention or the public school system appears to be growing at an alarming rate. This article provides a basis for understanding this dramatic increase. In addition, the authors present a brief overview of the characteristics of autism, research on early behavioral indicators of infants and…

Children's access to Medicaid dental services is a long-standing concern. The tragic case of a 12-year-old boy who died from an untreated infected tooth that led to a fatal brain infection renewed attention to this issue. He was enrolled in Medicaid--a joint federal and state program that provides health care coverage, including dental care, for…

Considered financial capacity of elderly for purchasing long-term care plans: Social/Health Maintenance Organizations, long-term care insurance, Life Care at Home, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Found that between 50 percent and 80 percent of all elderly could afford one plan, depending on the amount of discretionary income they would…

Responses (N=239 from 12 states) to a cost survey on support services for children with disabilities indicated an average per annum expenditure of $5,282 per family (excluding surgeries) and a cost of $95,083 to raise a child to age eighteen. Options must be developed for the increasing number of individuals who find themselves medically…

Presents a review of existing bilateral treaties, conventions, and agreements in the field of social policy concluded between European socialist countries. It summarizes their basic principles, their social security provisions (old-age benefit, employment injury benefits, cash benefits for sickness and maternity), and the provisions concerning…

Outlines how a school district saved money by dropping its health carrier and became self-insuring. (IRT)

In general, this survey of six midwest states revealed that health insurance plans for state government employees have moved toward employer funding, comprehensive benefits, and some recognition of the advantages of prepaid group practice plans. (Author/IRT)

Reviews research pertinent to mental health services under health care reform proposals. Examines redistributional impact of inclusion of outpatient mental health benefits, optimal benefit packages, and findings that mental health services lower medical utilization costs. Argues that extending minimalist model of time-limited benefits to national…

Purpose: Prescription medication use is essential to the health and well-being of many elderly persons. However, the cost of medications may be prohibitive and contribute to noncompliance with medical recommendations. This study identifies community-dwelling elders who reported a delay in medication use because of prescription medication cost.…

Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the authors examined the health insurance coverage stability of 1,667 women in working families over a three-year period (1995-1997). Findings revealed that coverage instability is common. Nearly one-half of low-income women experienced health coverage instability over the three-year study…

Context: The recent explosive growth of information technology in hospitals promises to improve hospital and patient outcomes. Financial barriers may cause rural hospitals to lag in adoption of information technology, however, formal studies that examine rural hospital adoption of information technology are lacking. Purpose: To determine the…

This report presents the results of a study conducted by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) to determine the impact of providing health and dental benefits to adjunct professors who are employed by one or more public institution of higher education and teach an aggregate of 15 or more credit hours in a twelve month period. In order…

Few psychological disorders in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual have generated as much controversy as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). For the past 35 years diagnoses of DID, previously referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), have increased exponentially, causing various psychological researchers and clinicians to question the…

Purpose: On average, adults aged 60 years or older have 2.2 chronic diseases, contributing to the over 60 million Americans with multiple morbidities. We aimed to understand the financial implications of the most frequent multiple morbidities among older adults. Design and Methods: We analyzed Health and Retirement Study data, determining…