a model for delivering school psychological services

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You have now been presented with extensive detail on the strategies of behav- ioral assessment applied to school problems. Techniques for evaluating referrals made for academic or behavioral difficulties have been addressed. In addition, the use of behavioral consultation for linking the assessment methods to the development and implementation of intervention programs has been provided. Although each of the assessment and consultation techniques described can be useful when used in isolation or in combination with existing methods of school psychological practice, school psychologists should have an overall plan for using these approaches interactively. A model for service delivery is needed that incorporates all of these procedures into a logical framework that can be applied when school psychologists offer services. Behavioral assessment and behavioral consultation are procedures that have strong ties to the development of specific intervention programs. As such, the methods are designed to be used as pre-placement procedures and often should result in remediating school problems without placement into special education. It must be recognized, however, that it may become necessary to appropriately classify individuals for placement into special education. Any model that is used to deliver services must incorporate procedures that provide both nontraditional (behavioral assessment and consultation) services as well as traditional diag- nostic methods. ____________________ * Much of this chapter appears in Lentz F. E. & Shapiro E. S. ( 1985), "Behavioral school psychology: A conceptual model for the delivery of psychological services." In T. R. Kratochwill (Ed.), Advances in school psychology, Vol. IV (pp. 191-222). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Reproduced with permission.