School psychologists are well served to stay up to date on trends in special education law, particularly with respect to determinations when school teams' decisions are challenged. This allows them to focus on proactive best practices that foster accurate specific learning disability (SLD) identification and active collaboration with parents. This…

There is probably no more difficult aspect of school-based mental health practice than navigating assessment, prevention, and postvention related to youth suicide. Although many schools follow best practices and respond appropriately, there are important lessons to be learned from cases that resulted in litigation. This article reviews key cases…

Finding the right college is a challenge for all students, but Black families face additional challenges and questions when navigating the admissions process. Veteran admissions experts Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown demystify this complexity by advising families on when to begin the process, where to apply, and how to be a…

For this sixth article in a series reviewing recent court decisions concerning appropriate school psychology practice from both professional and legal perspectives, the author summarizes a case in which an Oregon school psychologist provided foster care for a child with severe behavior problems and subsequently was reported for gross neglect of…

School psychologists have a close, often uncomfortable relationship with the law, as much of what they do from day to day is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) and related state law. However, judges deciding cases often do not have a detailed understanding of how education and schools work, and…

For this eighth article in the series reviewing recent court decisions concerning appropriate school psychology practice from both professional and legal perspectives, consider the summary of the concussion-related case below and the questions-and-answers after it. The overlapping issues in this case are child find, evaluation, and eligibility of…

For this ninth article in the series reviewing recent court decisions concerning appropriate school psychology practice from both professional and legal perspectives, this author provides a summary of a concussion- related case and provides responses to a series of questions by three members of the school psychology profession. The issue in this…

Parenting coordination is a nonadversarial dispute resolution process that is court ordered or agreed on by divorced and separated parents who have an ongoing pattern of high conflict and/or litigation about their children. These guidelines are designed to address the developing area of practice known as parenting coordination. In response to the…

Children who witness intimate partner violence (IPV) often suffer a range of physical, behavioral, emotional, and familial consequences (Holt, Buckley, & Whelan, 2008). School counselors may be in a key position to implement prevention programs around this issue, identify children who have witnessed IPV, and to engage in intervention efforts.…

Study abroad programs have proven beneficial for both the international student as well as the domestic community and school population interacting with the student. In an effort to promote cultural awareness, intercultural communications as well as opportunities for future study abroad program success, universities must take care to provide…

Based on the core conditions of client-centered counseling and supported by aspects of psychodynamic, cognitive developmental, and behavioral theories, a perspective is introduced that provides a resolution to the dilemma experienced by counselors and counseling students whose personal values and beliefs conflict with the ethical guidelines of the…

An outline of the background to the provision of psychological evidence within legal settings will be provided, with attention to formal and quasi-court settings (e.g., tribunals). Key points of relevance to psychologists and to educational psychologists in particular will be illustrated, including guidelines for defendable written and oral…

Describes a counselor's experience offering testimony in behalf of a client during litigation. Discusses preparation for despositions and testimony and the counselor's role in reducing client stress. (JAC)

The future of cybercounseling will be greatly affected by state efforts to regulate it. Cybercounseling will probably be found by some courts to violate state licensing laws. The risk of prosecution under those laws is substantial and undoubtedly has already stunted the growth of cybercounseling in the United States. Few, if any, state licensing…

The monograph is intended to help school psychologists understand the special procedures, techniques, and considerations necessary for providing effective courtroom interventions, specifically expert testimony and written reports. Beginning with an explanation of lay and expert witnesses, the monograph goes on to stress the importance of pretrial…