Consulting Services
Behavioral Health Division
Consulting Services
Contact
Request a training today through the form below.
Amherst, NY 14228
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
- Asperger’s
- PDD-NOS
- ADHD
- Learning problems
- Intellectual disability
- Self-injurious behaviors
- Safety concerns
- Disruptive behavior
- Social behavior deficits
- Speech language disorders
- Adaptive functioning delays
- Other disabilities
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.
Summer Institute 2023
Two-day summer preparatory workshop for educators working with students with autism and/or behavioral disorders
David Meichenbaum, PH.D., Director of Community Consulting & Clinical Services, will present a two-day summer workshop for educators working with students with autism and/or behavioral disorders. The workshop will take place from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. on both July 11 and 12 (five hours per day), at The Summit Center Conference Center, 75 Pineview Dr., Amherst NY 14228.
The cost is $300 per participants and is limited to 30 spots. The cost includes CTLEs and can be paid by credit card or purchase order. Register today at nysrcasd.org/events/1148/registrations/new.
**Earn 10 CTLEs
Topics will include:
- Preparing and Setting Up for Success
- Ensuring Effective Inclusion
- Building Independence & Fading Adult Supports Responding to Challenging Behaviors Supporting Social Development
- Working Effectively with “TEAM”
- Anticipating and Overcoming Barriers
- Doable Data-Tracking Methods
Questions? Call Carol Riggio at 716-629-3425.
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 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.
Psychological Evaluations
A comprehensive assessment battery of interviews, standardized rating scales, structured observations, and current diagnostic and evaluation measures are employed to determine the behavioral, cognitive and adaptive functioning of children and young adults. Detailed reports outlining test results and recommendations will be provided. Feedback sessions with family and/or educational teams will be offered to help explain the results of the evaluation. The psychological evaluative process meets the requirements of New York State Department of Education’s mandated tri-annual psychological testing.
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, 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.