The TBI Training Process

for School Psychologists

Summer Webinar Series

NC Department of Public Instruction

Exceptional Children Division

June 28, 2016

Today’s Presenter

Lynn Makor, Consultant for School Psychology

NC Department of Public Instruction/Carolina Institute for

Developmental Disabilities

lynn.makor@cidd.unc.edu

What is the TBI Approved Provider

Registry?• History

– Established over 20 years ago (early 1990’s)

– Purpose: to allow school psychologists to obtain

specialized training in the area of TBI (for the purposes

of conducting assessments, consulting with school

staff/parents, providing direct intervention)

– Involves a coursework component and supervision

component

• Current Registry - approximately 25% of total school

psychology workforce

NC Policies Governing Services for

Children with Disabilities(iii) Psychological evaluation for traumatic brain injury must be

conducted by school psychologists licensed by the State

Department of Public Instruction, or by psychologists who are

appropriately practicing in the specialty of neuropsychology and

are licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Examiners of

Practicing Psychologists. All psychological evaluations for

Traumatic Brain Injury must be current within one year. All school

psychologists providing assessment of children with Traumatic

Brain Injury must meet the guidelines of the Exceptional Children

Division for training in the assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury

and be listed on the Exceptional Children Division's registry of

approved providers (hereafter referred to as the registry.)

NC 1503-2.5 (13) Evaluation Procedures

Requirements of Approved

Providers

Placement on the registry requires:

– Didactic training in TBI and TBI related assessment

– 30 hours of supervision with a NC DPI approved

supervisor for TBI

Remaining on the registry requires:

– 15 hours of continuing education (i.e., 1.5 Continuing

Education Units) in TBI specific topic areas on a 5

year cycle

Viewing the Registry

The registry can be viewed

as a list, or through a

searchable option online

at:

http://cidd.unc.edu/School

Psychology/TBI/

Lincoln

Durham

Alleghany

Anson

Ashe

Avery

Beaufort

Bertie

Bladen

Brunswick

Buncombe

Burke

Cabarrus

Caldwell

Carteret

Caswell

Catawba

Chatham

CherokeeClay

Cleveland

Columbus

Craven

Cumberland

DareDavidson

Davie

Duplin

Edgecombe

ForsythFranklin

Gaston

Gates

Graham

Granville

Greene

Guilford

Halifax

Harnett

Haywood

Henderson

Hertford

Hoke

Hyde

Iredell

Jackson

Johnston

Jones

Lee

Lenoir

McDowell

Macon

Madison Martin

Moore

Nash

New

Hanover

Northampton

Onslow

Orange

Pamlico

Pender

Person

Pitt

Polk

Randolph

Richmond

Robeson

Rockingham

Rowan

Rutherford

Sampson

Stanly

StokesSurry

Swain

Transylvania

Tyrrell

Union

Vance

Wake

Warren

Washington

Watauga

Wayne

Wilkes

Wilson

Yadkin

Yancey Alexander

Asheville

Hickory

Newton-Conover

NC School Psychological Services – Approved TBI Providers

Chapel Hill Carrboro

Whiteville

Clinton

Roanoke

Rapids

Weldon City

Asheboro

Thomasville

Lexington

Mt. Airy

Elkin

★

★★

★

★

★

★

★

Created on 6/27/16

WESTERN

SOUTHWEST

NORTHWEST

PIEDMONT-TRIAD

SANDHILLS SOUTHEAST

NORTHCENTRALNORTHEAST

LEA employs school psychologist(s) and

has TBI approved providers

LEA employs school psychologist(s) but has

NO TBI approved provider in department

LEA has NO employed school psychologist(s)

and NO TBI approved provider

★ 1 or more TBI approved supervisor in county

LEA employs school psychologist(s) but

TBI approved provider is not LEA employed

Mooresville

Kannapolis

★

TBI identification trends

Steps to the Registry Process

STEP 1: Successfully Complete the TBI Online CurriculumSign up at TBI Online Curriculum

Study the content, take and pass the quizzes for Courses 1, 2, and 3

Email certificates of completion for each course to tbiregistry@cidd.unc.edu

STEP 2: Request Supervision from Approved SupervisorView Registry of Approved Supervisors. Click here to view current list

Contact a supervisor near you to set up 30 hours supervision.

Supervision must begin within 12 months of Online Course Completion

STEP 3: Complete SupervisionParticipate in 30 hours of supervision with your Approved Supervisor

STEP 4: Finalize Addition to the TBI RegistrySubmit your Verification Form and any other documentation to indicate that you have completed

your 30 hours of supervision.

Once received, you will be contacted to verify your current employment and contact information* *Addition to the TBI Registry is not finalized until employment with an LEA is verified and current contact

information is received

(STEP 5): Remaining on the Registry

• Approved Providers are responsible to update

their contact information on a regular basis by

emailing any changes to their information to

TBIRegistry@cidd.unc.edu

• Approved Providers are required to complete at

least 1.5 CEUs specific to TBI within a 5 year

cycle, which begins upon being added to the TBI

registry.

For more information on these requirements, visit the

FAQ document on the TBI website

STEP 1: The TBI Online Curriculum

• Three Courses must be completed

– TBI Course 1: Introduction and Foundations

– TBI Course 2: Advanced Assessment

– TBI Course 3: Treatment and Intervention

• Once you have completed the courses, send your PDFs of

completion (TBI Online Curriculum until 7/1/16) or other proof of

your completion (in NCEES Courses, after 7/1/16) to

tbiregistry@cidd.unc.edu

• Your documents will be printed and housed in a hard copy folder

for future reference

• PLEASE print and save copies for your own records as well!

STEP 1: The TBI Online Curriculum

• Courses will be administered through a learning management

system which will guide you through lessons on a variety of

subjects

• Take the quiz on each lesson - quizzes are a mix of multiple choice

and true false items.

• Once all the lesson quizzes have been passed you will receive .5

CEUs for the course

• All three courses, Introduction and Foundations, Advanced

Assessment, and Treatment and Intervention are required to

complete didactic training (successful completion results in 1.5

CEUs being awarded)

STEP 2: Secure Supervision

• Once the Online Curriculum

is completed you must seek

supervision from an Approved

Supervisor.

• Approved Supervisors are

available across North

Carolina. Their contact info is

listed on the School

Psychology TBI Website.

http://cidd.unc.edu/schoolpsy

chology/tbi/

NC DPI Approved Supervisors for TBI

STEP 3: Complete Supervision

• Contact a supervisor and establish a

supervision schedule

• Supervision often occurs in groups, and

over a period of several months

PRC 118: Financial Support

Available for Supervision

• The Exceptional Children Division has

dedicated funds through PRC 118 to assist

LEAs in covering supervision costs

• LEAs may access $1,000 per school

psychologist, to help support the financial

burden of the required supervision

PRC 118: Financial Support

Available for Supervision

• To access the funds, an LEA must:

1) Submit a completed form listing the names of

the school psychologist and their supervisor

2) Verify that the funds will be used to pay for

required case supervision

3) (Upon completion of supervision), submit

verification signed by supervisor to confirm that

funds were used as intended

STEP 4: Finalize Addition to the

RegistryTo finalize addition to the TBI Registry:

– Provide a copy of the documentation that reflects

completion of supervision via an email to

tbiregistry@cidd.unc.edu

– Provide current contact information, including:

• Name as you wish it to appear

• School and LEA in which you are employed (or just LEA if not

assigned to specific schools)

• Work phone number

• Work Email

• Secondary personal email (only be used as a source of contact if

all other forms of contact are unsuccessful)

STEP 4: Finalize Addition to the TBI

Registry

• When all of the required information is received,

you will be added to the TBI Registry

• An official letter indicating that you’ve been added

to the registry will be emailed to you

– A copy of this letter will also be maintained in a hard

copy file

• You are then able to perform psychological

evaluations for TBI eligibility considerations

(STEP 5): Remaining on the Registry

To remain on the Registry you must:

1.Maintain updated contact information at all times

• If a provider has moved, changed positions, or are no longer employed, the

registry will attempt to contact them for 2 weeks with the contact info

provided. The reason for a secondary email requirement

• If no response is received and no explanation is determined, the

provider will be removed from the registry

2. Complete 1.5 CEU hours within the 5 year cycle, which begins

upon addition to the registry

•Failure to do so will also result in removal from the registry

(STEP 5): Remaining on the Registry: Contract and Retirees

Once added, contract and retiree school psychologists may

remain on the registry even if they decide to no longer work in

a North Carolina LEA.

In order to remain on the registry in this circumstance the

following steps must be taken:– Inform the TBI Registry of your planned career change

– Provide the Registry with either a) a copy of your DPI Issued

License to practice School Psychology in the State of North

Carolina OR b) your NC Psychology Board License.

– Provide sufficient contact information to publish to the TBI Registry

– Continue to accrue CEUs according to your required TBI CEU cycle

School-Based Practice

Advisory Council for TBIPURPOSE:

• To support adequate training and continued professional development for

school-based psychologists in the area of TBI (in accordance with

statutes defined through NC Policies Governing Services for Children

with Disabilities)

• To serve as a feedback loop and problem-solving team in order to

appropriately address field-related issues surrounding the evaluation,

identification, and support of students (PK-12) who have sustained a TBI

and are receiving their education through a public education agency

• To provide best practice recommendations to NCDPI in the area of TBI,

and also serve as a resource to NCDPI in their decision-making on

school-based practice issues related to TBI

• Catherine Cuthbertson: School Psychologist

(Swain)

• Laura Riley: PK School Psychologist (Cabarrus – PK Specific)

• JoAnne Garay: School Psychologist (Cabarrus)

• Suzanne Bogle: School Psychologist (Craven)

• Maureen Kaniuka: School Psychologist (New Hanover)No representation at this time

No representation at this time

• William Walker: Neuropsychologist (Beaufort)

• Kim McClellan: School Psychologist (Currituck)

• Courtney Licklider: School Psychologist (Franklin)

• Ashlee Taylor: School Psychologist (Wake)

• Stephen Hooper: Neuropsychologist (Orange)

• Sherry Todd: School Psychologist (Winston- Salem/Forsyth)

DPI:

• Dreama McCoy: Section Chief, Supporting Teaching and Related Services, NC DPI,

Exceptional Children Division

• Lynn Makor: Consultant for School Psychology, NC DPI Exceptional Children Division

NC DPI School-Based Practice Advisory Council for TBI

Questions?

• Many are answered here

– Frequently Asked Questions document

• NCDPI, EC Division – TBI page:

http://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/disability-

resources/traumatic-brain-injury

• CIDD – TBI page:

http://cidd.unc.edu/SchoolPsychology/TBI/

Questions & Answers from WebinarQ: When should the Approved Provider be requested by the

schools? When concussion is first diagnosed, or when (they) get to

the point where special education needs to be decided upon?

A: Part of the role and function of any school psychologist is consultation

and collaboration. Consultation with a school psychologist who is an

Approved Provider for TBI should occur whenever the school-based staff

working with the child (who sustained a brain injury, whether it be a

mTBI/concussion, or more severe TBI) is in need of additional

insight/expertise and/or recommendations in how to best support that

student’s learning and/or behavioral needs (resulting from symptoms they

are experiencing as a result of the TBI). The “point of entry” of an approved

provider will, most likely, vary from child to child, based on symptom severity

and other factors.

Questions & Answers from Webinar

Q: Does the online training required payments?

A: The TBI online curriculum (STEP 1 in approved provider training

process) may be accessed and completed at no cost. If an individual

wishes to complete all training requirements to become an approved

provider, then the 30 hours of supervision with an approved

supervisor (neuropsychologist) would be STEP 2. There are fees

associated with this portion of training.

Questions & Answers from Webinar

Q: What about deaf children? Will that be difficult to do TBI

assessments?

A: This factor would add an additional layer of complexity to the

evaluation. An important consideration here is whether the

educational (academic and/or functional) performance of the student

changed as a result of the TBI. As with any child who sustains a

brain injury, a careful review of the existing data, both pre- and post-

event, lend insight into what may be needed when developing the

evaluation plan. It is always recommended to work collaboratively

with other professionals who have the level of expertise needed as

the complexity level of cases increase.