Led by CHC behavior specialists, the course combines discussion and supervised practical experience at the CHC's Esther B. Clark School, a school specifically for children with significant learning and behavioral issues. CHC staff provides ongoing supervision and consultation to specialists placed in community schools. In its inaugural year, ten specialists completed training and were placed in school districts in Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Palo Alto. Initial feedback has been positive. Special day class teachers appreciate having more time to teach.
Parents feel the presence of a behavior specialist contributes to their child's success at school.
Without the guidance of a behavior specialist, some of these students would have been moved to a more restricted school setting. Illustrating the need for the program, currently there is waiting list for students referred for Individual Behavior Plans. The challenge in the first year was to turn an idea on paper into a viable program. Structuring the program and obtaining external funding took a great deal of time and energy. Looking at year two, the challenge is how to fine-tune the Behavior Specialist Outreach Program based on feedback and implementation issues.