Abstract
Programs and services traditionally included in the purview of public health-such as Medicaid and Title V of the Social Security Act-have an important role to play in services to people with disabilities. More recently, the educational system under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has emerged as the major service delivery system, including many healthcare services, for children and youth with disabilities. Public health professionals are often called upon by the special education system to support, evaluate, refer, or provide direct interventions for children and youth with disabilities as part of an early intervention or special education program. Yet many public health professionals have limited or no training in public policies related to children and youth with disabilities, service delivery models that have proven effective, or their role in support and providing family-centered, community-based care for children and youth with disabilities. This model syllabus is primarily designed as a survey course to provide students in schools of public health with a broad-based overview of public policies, service delivery systems, and family-centered approaches to care for children and youth with special healthcare needs. This model syllabus could also serve as a framework for a survey course for students in medical schools and schools of allied healthcare professionals, and other professional development programs for individuals in health, human service, and education professions-many of whom are also called upon to provide services to children and youth with special healthcare needs in conjunction with public systems.