School Consultations

The fellow will learn consulting skills at the schools within the St. Louis County Special School District and the 4444 clinic with up to two weekly consultations.

• Understanding presentations of functional impairment in school settings including behavioral and educational difficulties
• Observing and interpreting family relationships and teacher-child relationships and their relevance to presenting problem
• Understanding how psychiatry symptomatology can be exacerbated or moderated by the school environment
• Work effectively with the professionals involved in teaching

The fellow will gain medical knowledge through supervised clinical activities, mandatory divisional didactics, and supervised reading of pertinent or related literature.

• Understand specific learning disabilities and their relationships to behavioral disorders
• Develop concepts of psychiatric presentations in a school context
• Understand the academic and social implications of various psychiatry disorders including ADHD and depression

In addition to supervised clinical activities and self-initiated and suggested readings, the fellow will participate in 1:1 supervision by the attending faculty.

• Continuing to appraise oneself of current knowledge concerning the pathogenesis and etiology of psychiatric disorders in particular as they relate to school functioning and outcomes
• Becoming familiar with models of school consultations
• Understand the structural and organizational aspects of the school or school systems
• Gaining knowledge of special education laws
• Appreciate the pros and cons of 504 plans and IEPs

The fellow will demonstrate sensitivity and compassion to children, adolescents, and their families/caretakers affected by psychopathology and will continue to develop relationships with other professionals or professionals in training, including supervisors, colleagues, students, and allied professionals.

• Developing intra-professionally by managing their emotional reactions to youth psychopathology and the attitudes of other professionals towards youth psychopathology
• Convey information both written and especially oral as clearly as possible without the use of jargon
• Demonstrating a commitment to continued professional development
• Perform a consultation that respectfully addresses the specific questions paused by the school teacher, school counselor, or school administrator
• Appreciate the professional role of the consultant versus the primary provider

The fellow will effectively communicate with patients, their families, teachers, counselors, and administrators.

• Talking with and obtaining a history from school personnel
• Tailoring communication to the needs of school professionals
• Respectfully appreciate that the teaching of children with psychopathology can be anxiety-provoking to non-mental health professionals

• Understanding the roles of other professionals including teachers, special education teachers, aides, school psychologists, school counselors, school nurses, and principals
• Understanding the constraints of the systems within which these other professionals operate
• Understanding the limitation of community mental health care for children and its impact on psychiatric presentations in a school setting