Meet your team

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

Speech Therapists: Interns collaborate with the Speech Therapists to identify, modify, and implement therapeutic interventions in a way that is sensitive to the clients’ speech needs. Interns, in conjunction with the Speech Therapist provide feedback and support to classroom staff and other members of the treatment team to integrate speech related issues with the therapeutic issues that are being addressed in therapy.

Occupational Therapists (OT): Interns regularly collaborate with the OT to identify their clients’ unique sensory needs and identify ways to integrate OT into individual therapy to help students meet their therapeutic goals. Interns also co-facilitate OT groups that take place with clients in the Autism Program at both CAE and NCA.

Art & Music Therapists: Interns collaborate with the Art & Music Therapists to identify expressive arts strategies they can use in individual therapy to help students who respond more favorably to less verbal and more creatively expressive therapeutic strategies. At times, Interns will share clients with the Art & Music Therapists for individual therapy; and therefore, collaborate regarding direct co-treatment of a client.

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC): CDS, South Campus, and CAE are programs that employ a full time CADC for their student population. Interns collaborate with the CADC regarding clients they share on their caseloads, as well as to gain more knowledge about the impact of family substance use on a client and the client's functioning.

As part of the CIC training experience, Interns collaborate with the client's teams in order to develop the most effective treatment plans for their clients. Interns interact with teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, art therapists, principals, attorneys, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, and outpatient providers to provide the best level of clinical care to clients. During Individual Education Planning (IEP) meetings, Interns are afforded the opportunity to update the IEP team about their client's progress and to address any questions or concerns that arise regarding their client or their course of treatment within the client’s respective service site. More specifically:

Special Education Teachers: In addition to the daily interactions between the academics and therapeutic departments, Interns meet formally with teachers quarterly to conduct Functional Behavioral Assessments regarding client's presentation and functioning. They also regularly consult with teachers in the daily milieu to identify relevant therapeutic issues pertaining to academic concerns and collaborate on interventions that can be applied in the milieu to facilitate client success.

Restorative Intervention Specialists: Interns collaborate with Restorative Intervention Staff regarding clients who frequently require more intensive intervention services to promote success. They work together to identify underlying concerns, antecedents of behaviors, identify relevant clinical issues impacting the client, and develop strategies that can be used to support client's academic and clinical progress.

Professional Community Contacts: Interns also collaborate with other professionals with whom their clients work with in the community. These community contacts include outpatient therapists, psychiatrists, DCFS, staff at the clients’ home schools, and medical professionals who have frequent contact with the clients. They provide regular feedback to these providers regarding the clients’ progress at school, relevant clinical issues being discussed in session, and best techniques for supporting the client and their family.