Skip to main content
Explore URMC

menu

Community Consultation Program

Teacher Giving Student a High-Five

Interested?
Call Carolyn King, Administrative Assistant, at (585) 275-6605.

The Community Consultation Program provides technical assistance, continuing education, and staff development programs. Services are provided to school teams and other professionals working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We help develop and implement programs intended to increase positive social and academic skills.

Who We Help

Schools and other professionals working with children and youth with developmental and behavioral challenges. Our goals are to increase the capacity of school or agency personnel to support their own students. We help develop and implement programs aimed at decreasing challenging behavior and increasing positive social and academic skills. We also ensure that children with challenging learning needs receive appropriate instruction and services to maximize independence.

What We Offer

We provide evidence-based technical assistance and training to school teams and agencies who are working with children and adults with disabilities or behavioral challenges. We have expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), educational consultations, Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), and inclusion consultations.

Services

Consultation may include building capacity with child-specific teams or classroom teams at the school district or agency level. Consultation can also be provided to ensure that children with disabilities are educated in the most inclusive environment possible. Our consultant team includes behavior analysts, clinical and school psychologists, and educators who have expertise in using evidence-based interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder, challenging behavior, emotional and behavior disorders.

  • Functional Behavioral Assessment: Consultant meets with team, reviews child's records, observes child, and implements functional behavioral assessment tools. Based on the results, the consultant develops written summary and specific recommendations to school team for behavior intervention planning.

    Associated time: 8-15 hours
  • In-School Educational Assessment: Special education consultant meets with team, reviews child’s records, observes child in the classroom, and conducts educational evaluation utilizing standardized tools and instructional strategies. Assessment results and recommendations are shared with the team verbally and by written report.

    Associated time: 8-10 hours
  • In-School Psychological Evaluation: Consultant meets with the team, reviews child’s records, observes child in the classroom, and conducts cognitive, academic, adaptive, and behavioral assessments. Outcome: Assessment results and recommendations are shared with the team verbally and by the written report.

    Associated time: 8-12 hours
  • Initial Assessment: Observation, meeting with team, information gathering and meeting with parents, in preparation for anticipated ongoing consultation for a specific child. Outcome: Summary report plus recommendations for specific supports and ongoing consultation.

    Associated time: 8-10 hours
  • Student Based Consultation: Consultant works with a student-specific educational team and family to develop strategies for success. The focus of this consultation is on the implementation of individualized, student-specific interventions.

    Associated time: 10-80 hours per year
  • Classroom Consultation: Consultant works with an identified classroom teaching team and support staff to build capacity and expertise in serving a specialized student population.

    Associated time: Variable
  • District Based Model Development: Consultant works at the building or district level to assess and build capacity to meet particular goals for educational needs of students within the district and assists the district in developing exemplary, evidence-based models of services through training and technical assistance. This model can be developed to meet the needs of students with Autism spectrum disorders, other specific developmental disability populations, or can be developed to meet the needs of all students within the district.

    Associated time: Variable
  • Program Evaluation: Consultant works with district, school, or human service organization to engage in comprehensive program development initiatives that focus on the design and maintenance of system-wide programming for students with Autism spectrum disorders or other disabilities. Consultant works in collaboration with site administrators to complete a comprehensive needs assessment and provides specific feedback to inform district planning initiatives.

    Associated time: Variable

Professional Development and Staff Training

Nationally recognized faculty members at the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities provide training on several important topics related to promoting independence, inclusion, and quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities. Staff trainings are individualized to meet the unique needs and interests of groups. We offer training:

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Autism in the Classroom: An Introduction for Teachers and Paraprofessionals

This two-day workshop provides participants with an introductory overview of the basic theory of applied behavior analysis, as it pertains to teaching new behavior and reducing problem behavior and the core features of autism spectrum disorders. This training is for people who are or will be working with children with autism spectrum disorder but do not have a strong ABA background.

Target Audience: Teachers, school psychologists, paraprofessionals, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, administrators

Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism in the Classroom: Advanced Training

This two-day workshop is an extension of the Introductory Workshop which will expand on behaviorally based educational interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Target Audience: Teachers, school psychologists, paraprofessionals, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, administrators

Understanding Autism: Providing Support for Individuals with Autism

This is a general overview of the core features of Autism and behavioral challenges associated with the syndrome. Training includes discussion of all autism spectrum disorders: autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (NOS), and Asperger syndrome. Training can be modified to meet the needs of the target audience or agency.

Target Audience: Service providers, school personnel, respite providers, day care providers, other community providers who interact with individuals with autism spectrum disorder

Social Communication Skills for Individuals with Autism

The goal of this training is to identify for participants tools for assessing social communication skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and to identify the key stages in social communication skills instruction.

Target Audience: Teachers, paraprofessionals, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, administrators, day care providers, parents

Supporting Higher-Functioning Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This training focuses on individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and how they can best be supported in educational settings.

Target Audience: Teachers, school psychologists, paraprofessionals, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists.

Discrete Trial Training for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Discrete trial training is one of the most distinctive, effective Applied Behavior Analytic (ABA) instructional methods and it relies on a highly structured format often in a one-to-one home or school setting. This training covers the basic theory and essential components of discrete trial training for students with autism spectrum disorder. Hands-on practice and modeling of key instructional strategies are included in this training.

Target Audience: Teachers, paraprofessionals, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, day care providers, home care providers

Including Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in General Education Classrooms

This training focuses on strategies for providing support to children with autism spectrum disorder in general education classroom settings. Emphasis is placed upon promotion of social and friendship skills, self-advocacy, curriculum modifications, promotion of self-management strategies, and role of the 1:1 paraprofessional in inclusive settings.

Target Audience: Teachers, teaching aides, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, counselors, school psychologists

Transition for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Planning for transition starts in middle school and is a consideration for Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development throughout the high school years. Special emphasis on taking into account the special needs of children with Autism as vocational or higher education plans are being developed.

Target Audience: Teachers, teaching aides, administrators, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, counselors, school psychologists, parents

Educational and Behavioral Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: What Every Administrator Should Know

The goal of this training is to provide a rationale for why school administrators should understand the educational needs of students with Autism so they can provide a quality program using a variety of service delivery models for children across the age span.

Target Audience: Administrators, other school personnel who would be providing oversight to classrooms with children with autism spectrum disorder

Functional Assessment and Intervention of Problem Behavior

This training focuses on methods for conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) to evaluate problem behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder. Based on the results of an FBA, a function-based intervention and behavior plan can be developed and implemented in home, community, and school settings. Workshop includes emphasis on antecedent-based strategies and effective use of positive reinforcement for the promotion of adaptive skills.

Target Audience: Teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, counselors, school psychologists, parents

Behavior Management in the Classroom

This training focuses on tools for managing children with behavior disorders in the classroom. Specific information on using functional behavioral assessment, function-based interventions, data collection, and working with collaborative teaming are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on classroom-wide systems of positive reinforcement of on-task and appropriate behavior.

Target Audience: Teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, counselors, school psychologists

The Instruction of Daily Living Skills

Daily living skills are behaviors that contribute to the independence, comfort, and opportunity of persons in everyday settings. Typically, these behaviors are complex (i.e., multi-step) and are gradually learned through the instruction, modeling, and encouragement of others. This workshop focuses on the assessment of daily living skills, identification of individualized skills, and development of systematic educational plans. Emphasis is placed upon task-analytic instruction, simple data systems, and troubleshooting problems related to the acquisition of daily living skills.

Target Audience: Teachers, paraprofessionals, occupational therapists, community providers, day care providers, in-home providers, parents

Establishing and Sustaining Effective and Safe Classrooms for Students with Emotional/Behavior Disorders

This training is intended to provide participants information on effective programming for students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (E/BD). Time is scheduled for reviewing your existing programs and organizing changes to improve current functioning. Understanding behavior, individualizing supports, and effective school/class-wide systems to promote the academic/social development of students is emphasized and examples from effective programs are provided.

Target Audience: Educations who work directly with students identify as E/BD (ideally entire classroom teams), special education directors, CSE chairs, school administrators

Supporting the Successful Inclusion of Students with Challenging Behavior and Emotional/Behavior Disorders

This training is designed to assist in the development and ongoing support of individuals with Emotional/Behavior Disorders (E/BD) in their classrooms.

Target Audience: Special education professionals, general education teachers who have student with E/BD in their classrooms, school administrators

Training in School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Overview

School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) is a systems-level (district or school) change model that uses empirically validated procedures to positively impact school discipline issues and allow greater time for academically engaged time. SW-PBS builds educators’ capacity to improve the behavioral outcomes of ALL students and reduces the rate of troubling behaviors of students who challenge the resources of school districts. SW-PBS is currently being implemented across the country in over 4,000 schools to improve student behavior (typical results of year 1 implementation is a 20-60% reduction in office discipline referrals), increase capacity of all educators to effectively address troubling behaviors, and increase educator satisfaction in their professional positions. SW-PBS addresses ongoing discipline issues through data-based decision making, a team-based approach, and function-based behavior support planning.

Why Aren’t we More Successful? Moving Away from Coercive and Reactive Discipline and Increasing Student Academic and Behavioral Achievement

This three-hour introduction to SW-PBS is designed to begin the discussion on individual campuses regarding their behavioral concerns of students. Participants engage in a facilitated discussion about their unique strengths and concerns after a brief review of what the field knows about schools which have chronic behavioral concerns, low academic performance, and high educator turnover. Participants will also be exposed to the critical components of all schools that have effective and sustainable discipline programs that demonstrate behavioral successes, high rates of academic achievement, and a strong school culture for both students AND educators. Issues such as consistency across faculty, the need for explicit instruction and promotion of behavioral expectations, how to plan for and address students with chronic behavior support needs and the role of data-based decision making are discussed.

Target Audience: Individual schools who are interested in improving their overall school discipline

Implementing a Coherent and Sustainable School-Wide Discipline Model

This introduction to a multi-year systemic change model will prepare participants to return to their district/campus and begin the necessary discussion to institute sustainable evidence-based change. Participants will be provided an overview of the key components to the successful adoption and sustained use of SW-PBS and how to implement and adapt them to their unique settings. In depth discussion of the core principles, such as building consensus amongst faculty, data-based decision making, function-based behavioral support, and efficient teaching and promotion of all students meeting expectations will be provided.

Target Audience: Teachers, paraprofessionals, school counselors/psychologists, diagnosticians, program or campus administrators, instructional supervisors, special education directors/coordinators, behavior specialists/consultants, other educators who want to learn more about the process of effective implementation of PBS in their schools/districts

School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Year One Implementation

This week-long workshop is intended for established campus-based teams who are ready and committed to implementing a multi-year systemic change model to improve behavioral outcomes of all students and improve educators’ job satisfaction. At the conclusion of this workshop teams will be prepared to implement Year One SW-PBS procedures and achieve established behavioral goals. Each day’s schedule includes valuable working time for team members to plan and design their SW-PBS program.

  • Day One: Building consensus amongst all faculty; key principles and procedures of effective behavioral support
  • Day Two: Defining and promoting school-wide rules/expectations
  • Day Three: Data-based goal setting and decision making on a school-wide, classroom and individual student level
  • Day Four: Consistent and effective responding to behavioral errors and supporting student behavior in all classrooms
  • Day Five: Team-based functioning throughout the year

Target Audience: Established school teams who have participated in preparation activities (e.g., attended above workshops) and committed to implementing a multi-year systemic change process

Other topics related to supporting persons with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders may be developed upon request.

Educational Opportunities

Through the Warner School of Education, we offer a course sequence in autism spectrum disorders and Applied Behavior Analysis for certification as a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCABA). Both the course sequence and practicum are approved by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board. Supervision is also available within the community for practicum experiences for a BCABA.

Our Team

All consultants on our team are faculty in the Department of Pediatrics and are specifically skilled at working with teams to translate current research into best practices in school, home, and community settings. Our consultants have extensive training and experience in Clinical and School Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Education with expertise in a broad range of developmental disabilities.