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Using guided credible history interviews to establish special education eligibility for students with traumatic brain
Melissa McCart1, Deanne Unruh1, Doug Gomez1
1University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
Background:
In Oregon in 2019, only 261 students were eligible for special education under the traumatic brain injury (TBI) category. Many students with TBIs are not treated by a medical provider, so the requirement for a medical statement could prevent eligible youth from receiving special education services.
Objective:
This study investigated barriers to using a medical statement to establish special education eligibility for TBI, support for using a guided credible history interview (GCHI), and training needs around GCHI.
Results:
Among participants, 84% reported difficulty obtaining a medical statement for TBI eligibility determination, and 87% favored the GCHI as an alternative, though they reported a need for training in TBI and GCHI.
Conclusion:
The results support the use of GCHI to establish special education eligibility for TBI and informed Oregon's addition of GCHI to TBI special education eligibility determination.
