“I’ve attended many meetings about our child over the years, but not too often did I come away with a sense of possibilities. Our meeting today was different"

Parent attending a diagnostic evaluation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATIONS

In the course of a year CTDS evaluates more than 100 children. A few may eventually attend our school. We refer many to private day programs. We support others in their public school classes by providing or facilitating additional therapy support and educational services. CTDS evaluates children of all ages at the request of parents, or by referral from counseling, educational and medical professionals. We serve as consultants to parents seeking to better understand their child’s needs.

Throughout the diagnostic process we evaluate the many interconnected facets of a child’s development in the following ways:

• Physical Development
• Speech and Language Development
• Intellectual Capacity
• Educational Functioning
• Social and Emotional Maturity
• Executive Functioning (i.e. capacity for judgment, reflection and organizational abilities)

Other areas of consideration:

• Genetics
• The child's place in his/her family and culture

Often a child has participated in many other evaluations . We help the family to understand and make sense of these reports. In our extensive experience and work with the whole child we offer a clear, impartial and comprehensive perspective integrating the many aspects of a child’s condition.

INCLUSION: THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION AND CONSULTATION

The Individual With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a comprehensive Federal Law that mandates “free appropriate education for all children with disabilities.” Throughout the country this concept is called “mainstreaming” or “inclusion”. The Community Therapeutic Day School is actively involved in consulting to public schools. Within the framework of public education we help to design well-orchestrated programs for children with disabilities. We also utilize the ‘Profile” as a therapeutic assessment, teaching and learning tool in this community work. Clinical and educational services within the public school may include some or all of the following:

• A trained therapeutic tutor to work 1:1 with the child
• Individual and group child guidance work with parents
• Occupational and speech therapy
• Supervision and consultation with public school staff
• Design and support self contained classrooms
• Psychotherapy - individual and group

CTDS believes that although some children require the more intensive support of a private school, others can be mainstreamed in the public school. The key to providing therapeutic education is the integration of the complex needs of the child including medical, educational and social. The program design reflects the child’s specific special needs.

To be in a family and in relationship with a sibling with psychiatric, neurological and/or developmental special needs can be one which cultivates a unique lens through which to view the world; a lens imbued with compassion, insight and acceptance. It can also be a trying and potentially isolating experience. However, being a sibling of a child with special needs rarely, if ever, makes up the entirety of a child’s being.

Siblings are artists; siblings are athletes; siblings are students and friends; siblings are individuals with needs all their own. Having a brother or sister with special needs is only one facet of the sibling’s experience.

The goals of Sibling Groups are to provide a safe and supportive setting in which siblings can explore and discuss their individual experience of having a brother o sister with special needs, while providing the distinctive opportunity for siblings to connect with peers who are in similar circumstances.

Siblings will develop skills to better understand their relationship to themselves and to their brother or sister. Siblings will address and work through their complicated feelings while celebrating their joys and successes. Sibling Groups are based in expressive therapies and involve art activities, play and discussion. Fun and imaginative activities give siblings the opportunity to explore and express the dynamics and themes inherent in the experience of being a sibling to a child with special needs. The group leaders establish the structure and focus of the groups in a creative, sensitive and thoughtful manner.

GRADUATE SCHOOL TRAINING

CTDS provides training and internships to graduate students from local universities in various disciplines including special education, social work, child psychology and psychiatry, expressive therapy counseling psychology and occupational therapy. The trainees are an integral part of the program and receive weekly supervision from licensed staff in their respective disciplines.