A recent study conducted by researchers at Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, in collaboration with George Mason University’s Department of Social Work and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Social Work, has revealed concerning findings about the high rates of intellectual and developmental disabilities among youth in the foster care system in the United States.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics, utilized a cross-section of 2016 national Medicaid claims data to examine foster care involvement among youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. The researchers found that the population of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the U.S. foster care system had grown substantially to almost 40,000, which accounted for nearly 9% of the total youth in foster care. Furthermore, the rates of autism and intellectual disability among youth in foster care were found to be two to five times greater than the rates in the general U.S. population.

Notably, the study also highlighted disparities in foster care involvement among youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It revealed that Black youth and female youth had a higher risk for foster care involvement compared to their white or male counterparts. Additionally, the risk for foster care involvement among youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities increased with age.

Dr. Lindsay Shea, the lead author of the study and an associate professor at the Autism Institute, emphasized the significance of understanding the involvement of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the foster care system. According to Dr. Shea, this understanding is crucial in identifying priorities for policy and program changes to improve the outcomes of this vulnerable group.

The research team utilized the largest sources of Medicaid claims data to conduct the study, recognizing the timeliness and importance of examining youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the foster care system within the Medicaid system. As Medicaid is the predominant insurer for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities and youth in the foster care system, the findings hold significant implications for policy and program development.

This study sheds light on the pressing need to address the challenges faced by youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the foster care system. By uncovering the disparities and high rates of disabilities among youth in foster care, the research underscores the urgency of developing targeted interventions and support systems to improve the outcomes of this vulnerable population.