Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities

Seldom do the needs of children with disabilities divide neatly along program lines. Instead, children and their families navigate a large, complex, and fragmented array of programs with inconsistent eligibility standards, application procedures, and program goals. Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities examines these programs, focusing on the three largest--special education, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security Income--and suggests ways to unify them into one system that will provide continuous care and support. Efforts at early intervention and prevention and difficulties caused by programs' funding structures are given particular attention. Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities advocates for a truly integrated system centered on children and families, then sets out a vision for building it.