The COVID-19 epidemic caused disruption and dislocation in the lives of people with disabilities, their families, and providers. What we have learned during this period regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the service system for people with disabilities should provide a roadmap for building a more robust and agile system going forward. Based…

To address the developmental deficits of children with autism, several disciplines have come to the forefront within intervention programs. These are speech-pathologists, psychologists/counselors, occupational-therapists/physical-therapists, special-education consultants, behavior analysts, and physicians/medical personnel. As the field of autism…

The national Quality Improvement Center on early Childhood (QIC-eC) funded four research and demonstration projects that tested child maltreatment prevention approaches. The projects were guided by several key perspectives: the importance of increasing protective factors in addition to decreasing risk factors in child maltreatment prevention…

Annie Sullivan Enterprises, Inc. (Chapel Hill, North Carolina), a community resource network for the integration of children and youth with developmental disabilities and mental health problems, is described. A brokerage model is espoused for accessing and delivering services. Recommendations based on seven years of successful operation are…

Compares programs of the Southwark Consortium in London and Denver Options, Inc. in Colorado in the delivery of services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Identifies cross-cultural implications. (SK)

The report summarizes: (1) 1988 program data for state Protection and Advocacy Systems for persons with developmental disabilities and persons with mental illness, and (2) 1988 program data for Client Assistance Programs. The data are derived from reports from 56 states and territories. In addition to nationwide data totals, each state's…

Describes a program developed by the Area University Affiliated Health Education Center for Developmental Disabilities at the Ohio State University to (1) develop state-of-the-art materials on prevention for adults and teens and (2) establish an ongoing statewide mechanism for education in the prenatal prevention of developmental disabilities.…

This article describes a model of comprehensive and coordinated services in developmental disability medicine developed for children and adults in Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia. Key features of the model are a conjoint structure between government departments of health and community services, multiple medical specialty clinics, and…

This paper presents a framework for early intervention for children having (or at risk of developing) disabilities, produced by Eurlyaid, a working party of the European Community. The framework addresses definitions of key concepts, the target group, rationale behind early intervention, content of early intervention, conditions necessary for…

The booklet describes projects funded under a 3-year grant from the McKnight Foundation to the Developmental Disabilities Program of the Minnesota State Planning Agency. Three areas are addressed by the projects: (1) training for staff and boards of facilities serving persons who are developmentally disabled; (2) projects to resolve or mitigate…

The report analyzes the impact of the change from a categorical definition of developmental disabilities to one which emphasizes functional limitations and the accompanying need for services as mandated by the 1978 Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (P.L. 95-602, Section 502). Part I is an introduction with sections on…

Describes federally funded personnel preparation project supporting implementation of educational and clinical sequence in handicapped, medically complex, and at-risk infant and toddler specialization. Addresses vehicles of professional development, including courses and seminars, clinical rotations, and research activities. Discusses implications…

When developmental concerns arise in children, a clinical assessment focuses on the child's developmental profile to achieve three goals (1) determine diagnosis, (2) develop interventions, and (3) evaluate progress. Parents often have needs during this time that are not addressed by professionals because of the exclusive focus on the child during…

The Saginaw Valley (Michigan) Special Needs Clinic serves visually impaired children and adults, multiply impaired low vision persons, and developmentally disabled persons with vision problems and is based on a client-centered concept involving health professionals, rehabilitation specialists, special educators, consumers, and social agency…

Examines the implications of a family-focused life cycle approach for delivering health and welfare services to developmentally disabled children and their families. (CM)