Informed Guidance

A family in need of support and guidance outside of an assessment or therapeutic service may come to The Clinic for an informational session. The specific content, goals, and duration of an informational session vary, based on the needs of the family and the child. For example, The Clinic can support families by providing developmental information related to diagnoses, training on behavior management strategies, or modeling how to program a specific augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. In some cases, an interdisciplinary informational session may be appropriate, bringing together a variety of professionals and perspectives. Staff from The Clinic work with each individual family to determine the nature and scope of the informational sessions. This helps ensure that the family’s goals for the sessions are met.

The goals of assessment include illuminating a child’s skills, strengths, and needs, as well as describing how the child functions in various contexts. Yet, assessment reports can be difficult to understand. Sometimes, they pose further questions, use unfamiliar jargon, or provide information that is confusing. The staff of The Clinic can support families, schools, and professionals by reviewing outside assessments (e.g. those that have been completed somewhere other than The Clinic) and providing real-world feedback. The goal of the review is to ensure that the methodology, findings, and recommendations of an assessment are well understood by the family, school, or professional.

The Clinic can support schools and districts in implementing assessment-driven recommendations in order to optimize impact. The Clinic offers consultation to schools and districts in order to provide staff training, share resources, and build collaborative relationships. The nature of these consultations will differ based on the specific needs of the school or district.