Students with special educational needs are evaluated and served by the Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle Diagnostic Center’s Related Services Team.  The team includes specialists with certification in school psychology, speech language pathology, audiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and adapted physical education.  The center also provides care coordination for students with special medical needs, and records management support for all students with special education records.When a child experiences problems that negatively impact the ability to learn over a long period of time, he or she is referred for special education consideration. 

The Diagnostic Center Related Services Team meets with parents, teachers, and other staff members to discuss the student’s learning problems and what has been done in the past to assist the student and facilitate learning.  A multidisciplinary evaluation is planned to assess the student’s needs in a variety of areas, and provide recommendations for remediating identified academic, speech, language, hearing, emotional, perceptual, physical and motor deficits.If a child’s learning problems meet criteria for a handicapping condition under federal law and the parents and other team members agree with the determination, the child is placed in special education and related services.  Then an individualized learning plan is developed for the student.  The educational plan is called an IEP.  An IEP may include instructional goals in a variety of areas to address a child’s delays.  These may include goals in reading, math, language arts or other basic academic subjects, communication skills, motor or perceptual skills, or social/emotional/behavioral skills.  Special modifications are written into the IEP to assist all personnel working with the child to adapt curriculum and testing to his or her special needs.

Diagnostic Center related services personnel assist teachers in making classroom modifications and accommodations for special education students, provide individual or group therapy for speech/language, social/behavioral, and motor skills development, support parents in assisting their children with developmental activities at home, and provide the IEP team and parents with ongoing information about a child’s progress.  Care coordination services are provided for children and families who need additional assistance with medical appointments and contacts with other state and local agencies.  Records management services insure that special education records are legal and complete, meet federal timelines for completion of assessments and other activities, and are maintained in a confidential manner.

If you have a question about the services provided by the Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle Related Services Team, or the referral process for special education, contact Related Service B.I.E. Coordinator.  Dr. Emma Foster. She can be reached at (505)960-8326.

Updated 09/3/10

Related Services B.I.E./S.P.E.D.