Special Needs & Teens in Crisis
The process of placing students into the appropriate
learning and therapeutic environment requires
planning, organization and consultation with the
main focus on the individual student.
Through comprehensive interviews, we get to know
your son or daughter, to determine specific
educational needs, assess strengths and talents - and
understand their emotional, educational and social
goals.Providing you
with the current, accurate information you need to
make an informed and realistic educational decision
is a critical part of our role.
The process begins with an initial meeting where we
-
Interview the Parents
to identify needs, goals, strengths and
weakness, including types of schools, treatment
options, social, geographic and financial
considerations.
-
Interview
the student to assess
their personality, interests and
goals.
-
Evaluate
Educational and Psychological
transcripts, reports, recommendations, current
testing, activities and interests.
-
Contact
those who are familiar with the
student including
therapists, school personnel, clergy, and/or
friends.
-
Educate parents
with options available to them for
appropriate school/program placement. Provide
extensive information about the various services
offered by different schools, and treatment
programs, either locally or nationwide.
-
Advise Parents and Students on admissions
testing which my also
include psychiatric,
psychological,
and speech/language
when necessary.
Sometimes a two-stage process is necessary. The
first stage could be a short-term program used for
initial intervention and/or assessment, in order to
help prepare for the longer-term school placement
that follows. When this two-stage process is
employed, we maintain regular contact with staff at
the short-term program in order to help further
identify the client’s needs. Short-term programs not
only help clarify the core issues, but also the
approaches to treatment that are most effective. We
then use this information to refine our
recommendations for appropriate schools that will
follow the short-term program. We continue to
monitor the student’s progress through the first
year.
Once we have met with the child and the family,
reviewed transcripts and talked to all concerned
parties, we can formulate a plan. This may include
local alternative schools, specific therapeutic
options, residential programs or a combination. Our
extensive experience and knowledge of available
options allows us to tailor a solution to the
specific needs of the child.
From the available options, the family is armed,
educated and able to make informed decisions that
will be in the best interests of the child. Once
specific schools or programs are selected, we
prepare an individual game plan for each, with all
the elements required in the admissions process,
from correspondence and testing, if required, to
visits, interviews and applications.
The family can interview among the recommendations and choose the one
that best meets their needs at each step in the
plan. We will do everything possible to leverage
our broad network of educational contacts and
relationships to help maximize a favorable
presentation. There are obviously no guarantees,
other than to assure you of our total commitment to
a successful outcome.
We will continue to stay involved in the progress of
the child. We are dedicated to each student's
success and continue to monitor their progress. We
are also available for follow-up consultation at any
time..
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