YCDSB Multi-Disciplinary Team
Special Education Program Consultant
The Special Education Program Consultant is a specialist in special education with expertise in programming for a wide range of students with special needs. The Special Education Program Consultant reports to the Superintendent of Education: Exceptional Learners and acts as a primary resource to the Superintendent of Education of Schools and to staff in assigned schools.
Consultation is collaborative in nature and may involve Principal, teacher(s), parents/guardians,
other support staff and Board personnel.
It is focused to:
* help interpret information and develop a plan of action for students with complex needs
report findings at case conferences, parent meetings and IPRC as requested
* facilitate the referral of cases to the other disciplines when more information is required around the learning style/rate and where behaviour/emotional/social needs of the student appear to be the primary concern
* support consistent application of Ministry policies and the Board's procedures and practices
Psychological Services
Plays a major role in supporting the education and mental health of students in the Board. Psychological Services staff are accountable professionally to the Chief
Psychologist and administratively to the Superintendent of Education: Exceptional Learners. The primary function of the Psychological Services department is to provide assessments to students in the Board.
* Serves students in both the elementary and secondary panels, including alternative education settings, TD classes, and ASD classes.
* Provides consultation to school board staff, parents around learning challenges and/or unique learning profiles, social and/or behavioural challenges, mental health concerns, safety concerns and/or threats, Autism Spectrum Disorder.
* Provides direct assessment of children including brief assessments and screenings, psychoeducational assessments including cognitive profiles, adaptive skills, academic achievement, social and/or emotional functioning, attention, social communication skills and/or behavioural functioning.
* Provides consultation to school staff, assessment or short-term supportive intervention for students, and facilitation to community agency services. Students are referred by school staff with parental/guardian/student consent.
* Provides brief, short-term support for individual students using evidence-based psychotherapeutic techniques.
* Provides evidence-based, culturally responsive and trauma-informed crisis/traumatic event support and school safety support (Threat Assessments)
* Provide suicide risk assessment, prevention, intervention, and post-vention.
* Liaise with community agencies/outside professionals.
* Provide staff development/In-services including Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), SafeTalk workshops, Lunch and Learn workshops.
Speech and Language Services
The Department of Speech and Language Services provides a broad range of assessment, consultation and intervention services to staff and students of the Board.
* Provides intervention through consultation and assessment for students with communication needs who are referred by school staff with the consent of parent(s)/guardian(s).
* Provide referrals to community agency services (when relevant).
Provide support to students in Language Support Program.
* Serves students who due to communication challenges require technology support to access curriculum.
OT/PT Physical Management Services
The Occupational and Physiotherapists within YCDSB provide the following services:
* assessment of student needs as identified by
parent/school (both formal and informal)
*consultation which includes provision of strategies based on assessment to support
individual student needs
* intervention is provided through direct
modeling and demonstration of strategies and
tools to students and school staff
* monitor progress throughout the year as needed
* prescription of equipment for safety and to support access to curriculum through the Special Equipment Amount Funding (SEA) as
required
* support accessibility requests within a school in collaboration with the plant department
* provide inservicing and universal supports to
educators, students and parents
* liaise with community agencies
* participate, at the request of the school, in team meetings, IEP development and programming supports
* Support school staff and parents with
following board processes related to students
with complex medical needs
Behaviour Resource Services
Behaviour Resource Services provides a range of services and is available to all students.
* Consultation to school staff.
* Consultation to students.
* Direct service to students.
* Liaison with community agencies.
* Communication with parents.
* Skill development groups.
* Tutorial programs.
* Transitional Diagnostic Classes
* In-service to students, school staff, parents,and other Board staff.
* Provision of Peer Coaches for school staff re:classroom management.
