Thank you for taking my call this morning. As I mentioned on the phone, I am a specialist teacher of students with visual impairments with APSEA. Prior to covid, I worked as part of a multidisciplinary team, which provided comprehensive psychoeducational assessments to students with low incidence disabilities (e.g., blind or visually impaired/deaf or hard of hearing).

Direct comprehensive assessments have been discontinued and have been replaced with consultative approach. I have many concerns about this new service delivery model. In the past, approximately 80 students with low incidence disabilities, from across Atlantic Canada, were assessed each year by a multidisciplinary team. The multidisciplinary team included educational psychologists with expertise in the field of low incidence disabilities.

In addition to my concerns that students with low incidence disabilities will no longer have access to a comprehensive assessment by a team with specialized training, I also have serious concerns about the potential liability this creates for my psychologist colleagues. I have attached a job posting for an educational psychologist, which features an updated job description. I am particularly concerned with the following line:Supports/consults with colleagues in the school system to ensure fair and ethical testing and assessment of students.

Again, there are concerns regarding ethical and fair testing by psychologists who do not have the specialized training in the field of sensory impairments.

https://apseacareers.humi.ca/job-board/assessment%20and%20short%20term%20programs/6766nI request that my concerns stay confidential and that my employer (APSEA) not be contacted without my consent. I would appreciate any guidance your organization is able to provide.

Thank you,

Thank you for taking my call this morning. As I mentioned on the phone, I am a specialist teacher of students with visual impairments with APSEA. Prior to covid, I worked as part of a multidisciplinary team, which provided comprehensive psychoeducational assessments to students with low incidence disabilities (e.g., blind or visually impaired/deaf or hard of hearing).

Direct comprehensive assessments have been discontinued and have been replaced with consultative approach. I have many concerns about this new service delivery model. In the past, approximately 80 students with low incidence disabilities, from across Atlantic Canada, were assessed each year by a multidisciplinary team. The multidisciplinary team included educational psychologists with expertise in the field of low incidence disabilities.

In addition to my concerns that students with low incidence disabilities will no longer have access to a comprehensive assessment by a team with specialized training, I also have serious concerns about the potential liability this creates for my psychologist colleagues. I have attached a job posting for an educational psychologist, which features an updated job description. I am particularly concerned with the following line:Supports/consults with colleagues in the school system to ensure fair and ethical testing and assessment of students.

Again, there are concerns regarding ethical and fair testing by psychologists who do not have the specialized training in the field of sensory impairments.

https://apseacareers.humi.ca/job-board/assessment%20and%20short%20term%20programs/6766nI request that my concerns stay confidential and that my employer (APSEA) not be contacted without my consent. I would appreciate any guidance your organization is able to provide.

Thank you,