Consulting Services

Behavioral Consulting
Behavioral consultation services are designed to meet the requirements put forth by the New York State Department of Education requiring the development and implementation of appropriate positive behavioral interventions, strategies and supports for all students with disabilities whose behavior or disability impedes learning. Behavioral consultants employ a variety of assessment and data collection methods to determine the nature and intensity of challenging behaviors (see functional behavioral assessments below) and, in coordination with educational staff members, develop a detailed individualized behavior intervention plan (BIP) that can be implemented in the educational/agency setting. Follow-up consultation can be included as part of the contract to allow for monitoring of the effectiveness of the behavior plan and its implementation.

Functional behavioral assessments (FBA) are a systematic approach to understanding the function of problematic behaviors to determine which behavior management strategies should be implemented. An FBA identifies events that predict and maintain challenging behaviors. The outcome of an FBA is the development of a BIP.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Consultation
In addition to learning, students with developmental disabilities may be faced with a number of other challenges, such as repetitive-stereotyped-behaviors, self-injurious behaviors, poor food consumption, and a lack of independence in self-care and self-management. Moreover, families may be faced with home-based challenges that directly impact these students. They may also present challenges that affect school functioning such as extreme oppositional behavior, homework refusal, and disruptive sleep patterns.

Psychological consultants will meet with staff and family members to develop behavioral strategies to address such issues. In addition, services such as family support and training can be included to facilitate communication, consistency, and generalization of skills and behaviors across settings.

Educational and Related Services Consultation

Staff members trained and skilled in educational planning and instructional methods for children and young adults with learning and developmental disabilities are available to consult with educational teams and service providers to facilitate appropriate goal setting, utilization of developmentally appropriate and meaningful instructional materials, adaptation of effective instructional methods, and evaluation of progress towards treatment goals. Staff members are experienced in behavioral strategies and consulting, and in implementing and training others in the empirically-supported methodology of applied behavioral analysis, speech and language, and fine motor and gross motor development.

Transitional Services

Transitional consultative services are designed to anticipate the challenges children and young adults with developmental disabilities commonly face when having to undergo significant environmental and/or programmatic changes. Following a detailed assessment that includes interviews with all relevant educational staff, providers and family members, a transition plan will be developed that outlines procedures to foster appropriate adjustment to the child’s/young adult’s new setting.