A growing number of at-risk youth with intellectual disability and autism in the U.S. foster care system

New research published in JAMA Pediatrics estimates that nearly 40,000 youth with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities were in the U.S. foster care system in 2016. 

Melissa L. Villodas, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Social Work is co-author of the research and says, “A strength of this work is in the important consideration of intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, gender, age and disability. The more we know about the unique challenges that are compounded by marginalization, the more responsive we can be in our efforts toward equitable policies and practices.”

The paper can be found here. More information on the study can be found here.