Training in pediatric school psychology: A model for interdisciplinary collaboration

- Approximately 20% of children and adolescents are affected by a mental disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2005), 22% suffer from obesity, and an additional 10% suffer from asthma (Creer & Bender, 1995; Troiano, Flegal, Kuczmarski, Campbell, & Johnson, 1995). - Educational reform emphasizes that schools must begin to address how mental and physical health issues are potential barriers to learning (Adelman & Taylor, 1998). - An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to meet the multiple needs of children across systems (Power, Shapiro, & DuPaul, 2003). - The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), American Psychological Association (APA), and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) have developed specific training guidelines for intersystemic collaboration (Power, DuPaul, Shapiro, & Kazak, 2003). - Recently, pediatric school psychology training has been recommended to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and communication (Power, DuPaul et al., 2003; Shaw, 2003). - To address this need, a collaborative partnership between the School Psychology Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and the Munroe Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) was developed to provide school psychology doctoral students with interdisciplinary leadership training. - From this partnership, an interdisciplinary approach to working with children and families was developed through the application of CBC in a pediatric setting