Psychological Services

Psychological Services (Office of Exceptional Children)

CONTACT: Lynn K. Makor, Consultant

According to NC Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities, psychological services are described as follows:

Psychological services include-- 

(i) Administering psychological assessments, educational assessments, and other assessment procedures such as observations and interviews, in order to determine a student’s strengths and educational, social, emotional, behavioral, or developmental needs. For preschool children, psychological evaluation may include administering psychological assessments, and curriculum-based and other educational assessments, as well as conducting assessment procedures such as observations, interviews, structured interactions, and play assessments as deemed appropriate by the school psychologist or contracting psychologist; 

(ii) Interpreting assessment results; 

(iii)Obtaining, integrating, and interpreting information about a child’s behavior and environmental conditions relating to learning and development; 

(iv) Consulting with parents, teachers, and other school personnel in planning school programs and services to meet the identified needs of children, including but not limited to, placement, effective learning/teaching strategies, and personal and social skills; 

(v) Planning and managing a program of psychological services, including psychological counseling for children and parents; (vi) Referring children and families to community agencies and services when appropriate; 

(vii) Screening and early identification of children with disabilities; 

(viii) Developing strategies for the prevention of learning and behavior problems; and 

(ix) Assisting in developing positive behavioral strategies.

The Consultant for Psychological Services provides direct assistance to the NC DPI Office of Exceptional Children in the area of psychological service as applied to supporting students with disabilities in NC public schools.

In order to deliver systems level services designed to address the needs of public schools, school personnel, and families, assistance is delivered in various forms:

• Consultation and technical assistance to local educational agencies in determining their psychological service needs related to supporting students with disabilities;
• Professional learning and recommendations to local education agencies to support the continued development of effective school-based psychological services;
• Assistance with implementation of newly developed procedures for determining IDEA eligibility and special education service delivery;
• Collaboration with institutions of higher education specific to the training of psychologists;
• Promotion of a collaborative relationship between the NC DPI and the North Carolina School Psychology Association (NCSPA); and,
• Use of a variety of communication platforms (website, listserv, practice briefs, social media) to maintain consistent communication across the network of providers.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Additionally, the NC DPI Consultant for Psychological Services is responsible for the coordination and management of the training required by NC Policy in the evaluation and identification of Traumatic Brain Injury, including:

• Ongoing development of TBI  training and services
• IDEA evaluation and identification procedures
• Maintenance of the TBI Registry of Approved Providers 
• Communication with and support of TBI Approved Providers
  
  • Assistance to LEAs in need of securing TBI Approved Providers 

For more information on psychological services in NC public schools, visit: https://ncschoolpsychology.med.unc.edu/