About Our Department

School Psychological Services

The Department of School Psychological Services of the Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center takes a leadership role in defining how the profession will help administrators, teachers and students meet national educational goals. The services listed below are part of an evolving service delivery system and should not be considered static or comprehensive. It is a representation of some of the major services and activities the department currently provides.

Intervention-Direct Services

  • Evaluation and diagnosis of learning problems from early intervention, through preschool, and school age: includes intervention-based, curriculum-based, play-based, structural/environmental analysis, functional analysis and norm-referenced assessment. Diagnoses include childhood learning disorders (e.g., mental retardation, learning disabilities), behavioral disorders (e.g., ADD/ADHD) and mental and emotional disorders (e.g., autism, emotional disturbance).
     
  • Mental Health Services: Includes adolescent life-style, healthy relationships and adjustment issues; crisis response; problems of sexually reactive children; grief counseling; individual counseling; group counseling; and brief family therapy.
     
  • Cognitive Behavioral Intervention and Programming: Includes functional and structural analyses of behavior, structural analysis and supports; behavior modification; behavioral management systems; and application of scientific methodology to develop successful intervention outcomes.

Consultation Services

  • Parents/Families: Includes parenting advice, understanding the psychological and educational needs of children, family dynamics.
     
  • Teachers: Includes classroom climate, behavioral issues, affective education, motivation issues, mental health issues, interpersonal skills, educational/ habilitative issues, instructional methods and curriculum issues.
     
  • Administrators: Includes assistance in developing intervention services to meet the needs of children at risk of academic failure, creating effective services for children with disabilities, developing crisis intervention strategies, risk assessment for suicide and threats of violence, sexual abuse awareness in the schools, violence prevention strategies, Section 504 issues and manifestation determination.

Student Achievement Services

  • Response to Intervention (RTI) Services: School psychologists have an increasingly important link to student achievement through the RTI process. Schools now use RTI as a proactive way to identify students who have emerging achievement or behavioral difficulties very early on before they experience failure. Depending on the needs of individual school districts, school psychologists are involved in any or all aspects of the RTI process, including program development, universal screening, progress monitoring, data analysis and intervention strategies. 
     
  • Developmental Assets: A community-wide strategic approach for positive youth development.
     
  • Test Anxiety Reduction Training: Instruction on the use of anxiety-reducing strategies for teachers and students.

Educational Services for Children with Autism

  • Little Feats/Big Leaps Autism Program: An intensive preschool program for children with autism using a variety of teaching methodologies including applied behavior analysis (ABA), verbal behavior training (VBT), and natural environment training (NET) as well as other techniques as appropriate.
     
  • Ready-Set-Connect Elementary Autism Program: An intensive school-age program for children with autism using a variety of teaching methodologies including applied behavior analysis (ABA), verbal behavior training (VBT), and natural environment training (NET) as well as other techniques as appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to receive services from a school psychologist?

Any students or parents of students who are enrolled in one of the school districts in MVESC's service area are eligible for the services of one of our school psychologists. The best way to obtain services is to work with your child's teacher and principal to determine if the school psychologist can assist with the problem your child is having.

What is the cost for school psychological services?

There is no charge to the parents. The services are provided by your local school district and are funded by state and local funds.

If I think my child has a disorder, such as hyperactivity or autism, do I have to get a medical doctor to make a diagnosis?

As a parent, you should seek the advice of any experts you think can help you better understand your child's problems and needs. School psychologists can assist you as part of a school evaluation team that can investigate problems your child is having at school and develop an educational plan to improve his or her learning experience. School psychologists are qualified to evaluate and diagnose any educationally-related learning problems your child may have.