Navigating your child’s education, especially special education, can be overwhelming, confusing, and at times, frustrating. Bolstering the best chances for success for your child include ensuring that all stakeholders communicate often, and well.

Dr. Palma’s goal in working with families and schools is one of cohesion and collaboration. Her ethos is that school systems work best through a collaborative team approach, and she values the expertise of all members of each school team, including and especially the expertise of the parents regarding their own child. It is through this collaborative approach that Dr. Palma believes children are best served.

Dr. Palma’s approach is unique in that, while advocating for the needs of a child, she does so through a consultative process with the school, service providers, and family. Keeping at the forefront the notion that children are at their best when the right balance of challenge, independence, and support is met, she works with all team members to strike that balance through a data-based and problem-solving approach.

Dr. Palma provides the following services in a tiered approach. Upon initial consultation and based on the specific needs of the family and child, services may include any of the following and are customizable to the needs of your family:

• Reviewing your child’s IEP, evaluations, or other clinical documents, and interpreting in parent-friendly language

• Consultation regarding your child’s IEP and educational progress

• Providing step-by-step support in seeking to get your child additional support at school

• Training on Special Education law

• 504 Plan review and consultation

• Formalized requests and letter writing services

• School observations with data collection

• Attendance and support at IEP meetings

• Consultation regarding assessment results

• Consultation regarding Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) assessments and Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

• Consultation regarding mental health needs of your child and mental health support provided through the IEP or 504

• Assisting you in improving communication with your child’s school and providers

• If necessary, communicating on your behalf with the child’s school, doctors, and service providers