An ad hoc committee will be assembled under the auspices of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and will produce a comprehensive report on health outcomes for school-aged children with disabilities. The committee will review and assess programs, services, and supports available to these children and their families; describe overarching program, service, and treatment goals; examine outreach efforts and utilization rates; identify what outcomes are measured and how they are reported; and describe what is known about the effectiveness of these programs and services.

The task order objectives for the committee are to:

1. Identify and describe federal, state, or local programs and services aimed at improving health and functioning outcomes for school-aged children with disabilities, especially the most commonly-occurring disabilities in children who receive SSI or may qualify for SSI, and including youth as they transition from high school to the workplace or higher education;

2. Describe the characteristics that contribute to the effectiveness of the programs and services for this population;

3. Identify the gaps and limitations of these programs and services; and

4. Provide findings and conclusions that can inform decisions about SSA involvement and future research efforts.

Based on currently available evidence, the committee will provide findings and conclusions that can inform future policy, practice, and research to improve the health outcomes for children who receive SSI benefits.

B. Specific Considerations

As a guide for literature review, information and data gathering, public sessions, discussions, deliberations, and report development (including findings and conclusions), the committee shall consider the following:

1. For objective #1, consider evidence of the programs and services found from a review of the environment in which these children live (at home, in school, on the job when applicable, and in the community), including (where available) information about:

• Applicability (for example, broad or narrow);

• Responsible provider(s);

• Length of time services available;

• Average time participants use services;

• Service methodology, including available treatment or therapy;

• Marketing and outreach methods;

• Incentives for the families of children with disabilities to participate;

• How participants are identified;

• Participant characteristics (age, gender, race/ethnicity, disability, health conditions, educational attainment, income levels, and medications);

• Medical home arrangement and involvement;

• Methods used to report outcomes;

• Challenges participants have in obtaining access to programs and services; and

• Trends and methods for arriving at improved health and functioning outcomes.

2. For objective #2, consider:

• How the identified programs and services make or intend to make an impact on health and functioning, given many of these children and youth have been dealing with serious health impairments that have been present for many years;

• How internal or external factors (such as stakeholders’ interests, finances, data, businesses, service markets, technology, politics, etc.) influence the delivery of the programs or services;

• What indicators or benchmarks demonstrate that positive health and functioning outcomes have been achieved;

• What community assets and resources contribute to improved health and functioning outcomes; and

• What is the ideal combination of features to offer that result in improved health and functioning and that lead to better education and employment outcomes.

3. For objective #3, consider what is known about the gaps in the availability and receipt of the programs and services (such as of the availability of supports and services for families or in the effectiveness of care coordination).

4. For objective #4, consider what models or standards for what these children need to improve health and functioning outcomes.