Selective Mutism in School: Incorporating SM Intervention within a Multi-Tiered System of Support

Описание: Recorded: Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Speakers: Brittany Bice-Urbach, Ph.D. & Taylor Hicks-Hoste, LP, NCSP

While the webinar will be geared toward educators and professionals working in school settings, parents and treating providers may also find this information valuable in their collaboration work with schools.

Description:
Selective mutism (SM) is known to impact a child’s comfort communicating, with a significant impact in the school setting. Supports available vary by school system and the needs of each individual child. Accommodation plans, such as a 504 plan, can provide important accommodations to increase their comfort in the school setting. However, incorporating intervention steps, beyond accommodation plans, is important for increasing the amount of communication a child produces at school. Although some children with SM symptoms may require support through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), other children with SM do not require this level of support. For school teams that utilize a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) or a Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) model, consideration of team-based selection of evidence-based intervention options for the school, appropriate modifications of current anxiety supports to directly target SM symptoms, data-based decision-making approaches, tools for tracking fidelity and impact, and possible need for further coaching and training should be considered to ensure a school is quickly, efficiently, and comprehensively addressing the needs of children with SM in the school setting (Barrett et al., 2013). This webinar highlights practical recommendations and strategies when supporting a child with SM through an MTSS framework. This presentation will 1) discuss specific interventions and possible modifications to general anxiety interventions in order to support children with SM symptoms through Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions, 2) discuss various tools for monitoring progress, and 3) highlight larger considerations for supporting children with SM within an MTSS framework.

Speakers:
Brittany Bice-Urbach, Ph.D.
Dr. Bice-Urbach is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a clinical psychologist at the Child Development Center, at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. She also has a clinical specialty in treating children and adolescents with anxiety disorders through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a primary focus on treating children with Selective Mutism. At the Child Development Center, she has been offering assessment, individual therapy, and family/school consultation and training to support children with SM. She has participated in the Selective Mutism Training Institute and given several national presentations at the National Association for School Psychologists Annual Convention on the topic of addressing symptoms of SM in a school setting. She also has prioritized trainings for medical facilities and pediatricians on detecting symptoms of Selective Mutism and supporting children and families.

Taylor Hicks-Hoste, LP, NCSP
Taylor Hicks-Hoste is a licensed psychologist (LP) in the states of Michigan and California, as well as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). She received her Ph.D. in school psychology from Michigan State University. Her professional experiences span across both school and clinic settings. As a school psychologist, she has serviced students, families and teachers, grades preschool through twelfth grade. She has also worked as a countywide behavioral health consultant, in which she has partnered with local districts in the promotion of mental health awareness and in the direct provision of school-based mental health supports to students. Taylor’s clinical work at Thriving Minds in Michigan includes the treatment of children, teens, and families with an emphasis on anxiety-based disorders such as selective mutism, separation anxiety, and school refusal.

This webinar is brought to you by the Selective Mutism Association and was made possible by a generous grant from the Gordon and Marilyn Macklin Foundation, Inc.