SCEC has a firm commitment to providing quality assessments and evaluations of students who may be in need of specialized instruction or support services. These evaluations occur within the academic setting and vary in their complexity. To address complex referral questions, parental involvement is critical in providing the context within which to understand the results. The evaluations can be as simple as the administration of a test battery to assess academic achievement or as complex as neuropsychological evaluation assessment multiple cognitive and mental processes. Access to licensed clinical staff allow for the completion of diagnostic evaluations as well as medication evaluations when needed.
The sustainability of high quality services is incorporated in the CAT through partnerships with local graduate programs. The CAT helps to train doctoral level clinical and school psychologists in the techniques of assessment and in the interpretation and dissemination of the findings. Whereas SCEC is always interested in building partnerships with institutions of higher learning in order to build sustainable services, most of the trainees have attended William James College or the University of Rhode Island.
The Clinical Services team addresses the mission and purpose of South Coast Educational Collaborative (SCEC) by completing evaluations of a psychological nature of children ages 3 – 21 that contribute to the data when reviewing a child’s eligibility for special education. These evaluations occurred within the academic setting (within SCEC programs and within general educational settings) irrespective of the referral question. In this way, obstacles preventing access to clinical evaluations have been removed. Family involvement in the evaluation process begins with the completion of a developmental questionnaire related to the student and may include face-to-face or telephone interviews to gather additional information within which to interpret test findings.
Contact
Catherine C. Vieira-Baker, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist-Provider
(508) 336-8212
cvieira-baker@scecoll.org