Abstract
Education is a key social determinant of health. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) purportedly affords children the right to a free and appropriate education. Yet, racial, ethnic, and economic disparities exist regarding appropriate identification and classification of children with needs for special education, and access to services. This article first highlights gaps and disparities in special educational services, and their structural linkage to poverty. The second section describe the first years of a medical-legal collaboration between a University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and Fordham University, focused on special education. The collaboration's interdisciplinary training activities increased practical knowledge for law students and UCEDD clinicians. A legal clinic for UCEDD families enabled Fordham students to apply their skills. Because social determinants of health often lie beyond the medical domain, interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to remediate them.
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