Consulting Services
Behavioral Health Division
Consulting Services
Consulting Services
The Summit Center offers contractual psychological and related behavioral consulting services to public and private schools and human service agencies throughout Buffalo and Western New York.
Behavioral consultation services are designed to assist children and young adults, as well as teachers and service providers who work with children and young adults, who face the following challenges:
- Autism
- ADHD
- Anxiety and mood disorders
- Learning problems and/or executive functioning deficits
- Intellectual disabilities
- Disruptive and/or self-injurious behaviors
- Emotional dysregulation
- Safety concerns
- School avoidance or refusal
- Social behavior deficits
- Speech language disorders
- Adaptive functioning delays
- Other social, behavioral, or development challenges
Goal of Consulting Services
The School and Community Based Consultation Service Program provides professional expertise in the areas of behavior management and personal and educational development to foster the appropriate accommodation of children and young adults in school and community-based settings. With individually designed behavior management strategies, education, and personal development plans, children and young adults can maximize their acquisition of skills and learning, thus reaching their individual potential.
About David Meichenbaum, Ph.D.
Director of Community Consulting and Clinical Services
Dr. Meichenbaum is a NYS licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the diagnostic evaluation and treatment of developmental and mental health disorders. He is both the clinical director of the Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic and the director of community consulting and clinical services at The Summit Center.
During his 20+ years at The Summit Center, Dr. Meichenbaum has delivered over 350 presentations locally and nationally to thousands of educators, school personnel, and mental health professionals. His presentations are lauded for being engaging, inspiring, and full of practical solutions that take into consideration the various barriers school and family systems are faced with.
Dr. Meichenbaum is also a highly sought after consultant who has been contracted by more than 70 school districts. He offers practical behavioral and educational strategies that focus on the academic, social, emotional, adaptive, and behavioral development of students with autism, disruptive behavior, and mental health disorders. Dr. Meichenbaum is innovative in adapting cognitive-behavioral interventions for students of all learning and cognitive levels.
Dr. Meichenbaum graduated with his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo and he completed his clinical internship at Duke University Medical Center.
Description of Consulting Services
The Summit Center offers contractual psychological and related behavioral consulting services to public and private schools and human service agencies throughout Buffalo and Western New York.
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 Behavior Assessments
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.
Request a Consultation
Request a Consultation
Please complete the form below to request a consultation. You will be contacted shortly. If you have any questions, please contact us at 716.629.8523.