32 research outputs found
Procedural Due Process: The Two-edged Sword That the Untrained Should Not Unsheath
The issue of procedural due process is examined in this article by first analyzing
the associated legal requirements of P.L. 94-142 and then identifying the "triggers"
which professionals and parents can use to initiate a due process hearing.
Problems and unresolved issues associated with interpreting and applying due process
safeguards in terms of initiating, conducting, and governing the hearing and
hearing officer are discussed. The concluding section of the article identifies
specific training implications and creeds of due process hearing officers
Due Process Hearing Officers: Characteristics, Needs, and Appointment Criteria
This is the publisher's version, also found here: http://sped.org/Characteristics and training
needs of due process hearing officers in
North Carolina were surveyed. It was
found that current regulations governing
appointments of hearing officers are
insufficient to ensure appointment of
qualified and impartial persons. Criteria
were analyzed and suggestions for
training and appointments are made
A New Performance Measurement System for Maternal and Child Health in the United States
Abstract Objective The Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant is the linchpin for US MCH services. The first national performance measures (NPMs) for MCH were instituted in 1997. Changing trends in MCH risk factors, outcomes, health services, data sources, and advances in scientific knowledge, in conjunction with budgetary constraints led the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to design a new performance measurement system. Methods A workgroup was formed to develop a new system. The following guiding principles were used: (1) Afford States more flexibility and reduce the overall reporting burden; (2) Improve accountability to better document Title V's impact; (3) Develop NPMs that encompass measures in: maternal and women's health, perinatal health, child health, children with special health care needs, adolescent health, and cross-cutting areas. Results A three-tiered performance measurement system was proposed with national outcome measures (NOMs), NPMs and evidence-based/informed strategy measures (ESMs). NOMs are the ultimate goals that MCHB and States are attempting to achieve. NPMs are measures, generally associated with processes or programs, shown to affect NOMs. ESMs are evidence-based or informed measures that each State Title V program develops to affect the NPMs. There are 15 NPMs from which States select eight, with at least one from each population area. MCHB will provide the data for the NOMs and NPMs, when possible. Conclusions The new performance measurement system increases the flexibility and reduces the reporting burden for States by allowing them to choose 8 NPMs to target, and increases accountability by having States develop actionable ESMs
Disparities in Health Care Quality Indicators among US Children with Special Health Care Needs According to Household Language Use
Background: Lower health care utilization and less favorable health outcomes have been demonstrated in children from Non-English Primary Language households (NEPL) in previous studies. This study examines prevalence of health care quality indicators among US children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and their association with household language use.
Methods: We used data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, restricted to an analytic sample of 40,242 children. Logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of primary household language on the attainment of the 6 health care quality indicators for CSHCN.
Results: Compared to CSHCN from English primary language households (EPL), CSHCN from NEPL households had 31% higher odds of not feeling like partners in health care decision-making. They had 67% higher odds of lacking care through a medical home and 42% higher odds of reporting inadequate health insurance. NEPL children had 32% higher odds of not receiving early and continuous screening for special health care needs. NEPL youths had 69% higher odds of not receiving services for transition to adulthood. Minority race/ethnicity, lower income and families other than two biological parents all conferred additional risks to not attaining quality indicators. Publicly insured or uninsured CSHCN were also at higher risk.
Conclusions and Global Health Implications: Our study provides compelling evidence that significant disparities exist for CSHCN by primary household language status across all health care quality indicators. Establishment of effective surveillance systems and targeting of outreach programs in both developed and developing countries may lead to improved understanding of health care needs and quality of services and reduction of health disparities for this underserved population
An observational analysis of the conference
This is the publisher's version, also found at: http://sped.org/Through naturalistic observational
procedures, this study examined the dynamics
of individualized education program (IEP)
conferences. Participants present, the nature
and frequency of topics discussed, and the
length of conferences were considered. A
followup questionnaire was administered to all
conference participants to measure satisfaction.
Results indicated that the IEP conferences
studied generally involved the resource teacher,
who was found to he the most dominant
speaker, reviewing an already developed IEP
with the parents, who were the primary
recipients of the comments made at the
conference. Implications point to the need to
train parents in procedures and responsibilities
associated with the IEP process and to train
professionals to involve parents as active
decision makers in defining an appropriate
education for their child.
SU
Disparities in Health Care Quality Indicators among US Children with Special Health Care Needs According to Household Language Use
Background: Lower health care utilization and less favorable health outcomes have been demonstrated in children from Non-English Primary Language households (NEPL) in previous studies. This study examines prevalence of health care quality indicators among US children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and their association with household language use.
Methods: We used data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, restricted to an analytic sample of 40,242 children. Logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of primary household language on the attainment of the 6 health care quality indicators for CSHCN.
Results: Compared to CSHCN from English primary language households (EPL), CSHCN from NEPL households had 31% higher odds of not feeling like partners in health care decision-making. They had 67% higher odds of lacking care through a medical home and 42% higher odds of reporting inadequate health insurance. NEPL children had 32% higher odds of not receiving early and continuous screening for special health care needs. NEPL youths had 69% higher odds of not receiving services for transition to adulthood. Minority race/ethnicity, lower income and families other than two biological parents all conferred additional risks to not attaining quality indicators. Publicly insured or uninsured CSHCN were also at higher risk.
Conclusions and Global Health Implications: Our study provides compelling evidence that significant disparities exist for CSHCN by primary household language status across all health care quality indicators. Establishment of effective surveillance systems and targeting of outreach programs in both developed and developing countries may lead to improved understanding of health care needs and quality of services and reduction of health disparities for this underserved population.
Key words: Children with Special Health Care Needs • Household Language Use • Limited English Proficiency • Socioeconomic Status • Race/ethnicity • Health Care Quality
Copyright © 2015 Yu et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
Assessing Systems Quality in a Changing Health Care Environment: The 2009–10 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs
To provide a national, population-based assessment of the quality of the health care system for children and youth with special health care needs using a framework of six health care system quality indicators. 49,242 interviews with parents of children with special health care needs from the 2009-10 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) were examined to determine the extent to which CSHCN had access to six quality indicators of a well-functioning system of services. Criteria for determining access to each indicator were established and applied to the survey data to estimate the proportion of CSHCN meeting each quality indicator by socio-demographic status and functional limitations. 17.6% of CSHCN received care consistent with all six quality indicators. Results for each component of the system quality framework ranged from a high of 70.3% of parents reporting that they shared decision-making with healthcare providers to a low of 40% of parents reporting receipt of services needed for transition to adult health care. Attainment rates were lower for CSHCN of minority racial and ethnic groups, those residing in households where English was not the primary language, those in lower income households, and those most impacted by their health condition. Only a small proportion of CSHCN receive all identified attributes of a high-quality system of services. Moreover, significant disparities exist whereby those most impacted by their conditions and those in traditionally disadvantaged groups are served least well by the current system. A small proportion of CSHCN appear to remain essentially outside of the system, having met few if any of the elements studied