Why not diagnose this issue the "Sparks Issue?"  Why not? 

Dear Editor, 
     Who is better than Green Day?
          H.E.

Dear H.E.,
     No, Who's on first.
          KOG Editor
 

Dear H.E.,
     What's on second.
          KOG Editor

NOTES & DISCLAIMERS:
Any opinions expressed in the KOG are opinions only and are not necessarily approved or supported by the KASP organization or anyone else, including the KOG Editor.  On the other hand, any facts expressed or implied are indeed, facts.  Just as is true for everything else in this world, you get to decide what is opinion, what is fact, and what is research based, and if and how they may or may not all go together.  Please note that just because something is research based doesn't necessarily make it a fact;  and not all facts are research based.  Some opinions are facts and research based.  Some opinions are not facts, yet are still research based.  Just because something is research based doesn't necessarily make it a fact, or ethical.  Some facts are facts for some but not facts for others; the same concept holds true for opinions and research.  The same can be said for humor, satire, parody, and serious notes.  Some opinions are just opinions.  However, one thing is always certain... everything counts.

"Meet the new boss... same as the old boss."  Pete Townshend.

An Interview with Don Asbridge:  About Psychology in the Schools
by Michael Shaughnessy
www.ednews.org

Original Article can be found at:
http://ednews.org/articles/36739/1/An-Interview-with-Don-Asbridge-About-Psychology-in-the-Schools/Page1.html
 

Your KOG Editor was recently interviewed by Michael Shaughnessy of ednews.org! Click here or on the above banner to read it in it's original version.  The KOG's message was spreading!  Be sure to leave a comment when you visit!  Even on his way out, your KOG Editor continued to speak out about important issues in our field!
 

Don, first of all what is KASP?
     KASP is the Kern Association of School Psychologists.  We are one of several regional affiliates of our state association, the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP), which in turn, is a state affiliate of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).  We are proud of our rich tradition as one of the longtime leaders among California regional affiliates.

Now, what is KOG?
     The KOG is short for The KASP Online Gazette, which is a monthly online newsletter (for lack of a better descriptor) published on our website.  The KOG, in it's own inimitable style, addresses important issues in education, mental health, psychology, and, um, more!  The KOG Editor (that's me!) asks questions, forwards the null hypothesis, and always encourages a strong healthy scientific skepticism.  The KOG has been online since approximately 2002. 
     Interested readers are invited to visit The KOG at:  www.kernschoolpsych.org/kog.htm
     It goes without saying that any views or opinions expressed in The KOG are not necessarily supported or endorsed by KASP, CASP, NASP, or anyone else!

Now, what is the APA (American Psychological Association) saying about school psychologists and the practice of school psychology in the schools?
     I of course cannot speak for APA, but they have proposed, and apparently intend to follow through with, their Model Licensure Act (MLA), which would no longer allow nondoctoral-level psychologists to use the title, “psychologist.”  Technically, APA is removing their “exemption” for school psychologists.
     Nationwide, the vast majority of school psychologists are masters-level practitioners.  When/if MLA goes through they could conceivably no longer be school psychologists.  Viola!  At the present, no one knows what new title they would hold or if they would even remain employed.
     If the MLA was only about titles, no problem, but the potential implications are far broader in scope than just titles.  I am most concerned with the following:  1) that thousands of nondoctoral school psychologists will or might be replaced by mere hundreds of doctoral level psychologists, resulting in less services for students; 2) that the present educational model will or might be replaced by the clinical model; and 3) that the MLA would or might result in large-scale confusion, if not chaos, regarding existing educational laws, procedures, roles, programs, personnel, funding, and more in the schools - extensive legislative and/or legal actions would or might be needed to finally sort out all of this.  Ultimately, I'm most concerned that all of this might adversely affect students.
     The interested EdNews reader is encouraged to obtain more information regarding APA's MLA at the NASP website (www.nasponline.org).  On that site there are links to review the draft version, review NASP's analysis, and for stakeholders to speak out (click on the link, “Tell APA what you think about their draft MLA”).  Reminder - if you are reading this, you are a stakeholder… be sure to speak out, pro or con, on this issue!

What do you see as the biggest problem currently facing the schools?
     Gosh, I don't know where to start -- there are so many!  Most of my concerns are related to money, greed, power, politics, laws, and red tape.  I am highly concerned about how much of the taxpayers' dollars are drained by some bloated, outdated, and/or ineffective public education programs; see the February 2009 KOG (“The Money Issue”) for “Seventeen Programs that Need To Go.”  And it will take years for the schools to recover from NCLB - we have to start seeing students as human beings… not as mere test scores.  And it would be great if more adults in the schools would just treat students with respect and dignity…
     As it relates to our present topic, I wish we would quit calling students horrible names, like “disabled, disturbed, disordered, and retarded.”  Students need to go to school to get an education, not a diagnosis.

In your mind, what is the difference between the clinical model and the school model?
     There are huge differences between clinical psychology and educational (or school) psychology.  Volumes could be and have been written about the differences between the two schools of thought.
     In the interest of brevity, I am most concerned about the following difference:  school psychology uses state and federal special education laws (i.e., IDEA) as the guide to special education eligibility and services, as contrasted with clinical psychology, which primarily uses the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM) as the guide.  Clinical psychology implements mental health therapy and medications to “treat” these, um, “DSM conditions.”  Rebellious teenagers are rounded up into anger management classes while national mental health depression screening days bring thousands more into the system.  And the mental health field (i.e., clinical psychology) is increasingly working hand-in-hand with the psychiatric field. 
     With so many children in the public schools, the millions or billions of dollars at stake cannot be ignored.  Simply put, a lot of people make a lot of money every time a child is [mis]diagnosed by mental health with ADHD.  It goes without saying that some big pharmaceutical companies are doing very well at the present.  And to be fair, a lot of money exchanges hands every time a child is [mis]diagnosed by special education with a learning disability.
     The KOG is not inferring that the present special education [behavioral RtI or the traditional discrepancy] models under IDEA are perfect either… it's time to drop both of them and the DSM in schools.  The KOG has continuously advocated that schools instead move to Rights Without Labels (RWOL) approaches.  It is important to note that RWOL isn't something I just thought up one day - RWOL is a NASP-approved approach.  RWOL, in real language (at least as I conceptualize it), means, “If the child struggles with reading, just teach him or her to read!  If the child is struggling with a real-life issue, help him or her strive toward finding a real-life solution that works for them so they can ultimately successfully pursue their goals related to life, liberty, and happiness.”

What does NASP (National Association of School Psychologists) have to say about what the APA is suggesting?
     Just as is true for APA, I cannot speak for NASP.  In the April 2009 KOG there is an explanatory letter written by the present NASP president.  Again, the interested reader is encouraged to visit the NASP website for further information regarding this issue.  Just to be fair, you might want to visit APA's site to get their views too.

Don, let me be blunt here----we can't get enough teachers in the schools, can't train enough guidance counselors and school psychologists to replace the ones that are retiring, so how are we going to get full Ph.D.'s into the schools?
     I share that concern… I think the schools should keep every qualified dedicated professional educator who actually helps students.  Running school psychologists out and replacing them with a Ph.D. who will “supervise” (i.e., monitor medications and case management loads) from a distant ivory tower just won't work well for students in my opinion.  If APA's MLA goes through, approximately 37,000 ex-school psychologists will or might be replaced with what, 2,000 doctoral level psychologists?
     Your question, however, alludes to much deeper concerns related to the overall present state of public schools.  Maybe now is the time for revolutionary changes in education?  Maybe if a kid needs mental health therapy, then s/he should go down to the local mental health center, receive services, and if those services “work,” then the student could show up to school on time the next day ready to learn? 

One school board member said to me about the rising number of kids on psychotropic medications-he said, “we are running a school, not a psychiatric ward.”  What would you say to this individual, and does he/she have a point?
     I would agree with the board member.  If the board member thinks things are out of control now, wait until the clinical model becomes the primary service delivery in the schools!  I hope you'll encourage the board member to visit The KOG and then speak out against APA's MLA!

Don, the number of kids with autism is increasing, the number of kids with asthma, epilepsy, and deaf-blind are increasing.  Is our society asking the schools to do way too much with too few trained people?
     I'm not convinced that real autism is actually increasing, but it is obvious the number of students diagnosed - or misdiagnosed - with autism is significantly increasing.  In November of 2008, it was announced twenty percent of teenagers have a “personality disorder?”  And how many millions of students have been handed an ADHD diagnosis?  Depression?  Bipolar?  Aspergers?  Conduct Disorder?  And more?  Give me a break!
     Past Senator Bob Kerry said, “when half the population is in the pen, they're no longer criminals, they're the norm.” 
     Almost always, all that exceptional students really need are reasonable accommodations through ADA/§504 (just like everywhere else in America outside of education), to be treated with respect and dignity, and, um, just as is true for every student - empowerment.  In my opinion, based on everything I've learned in over twenty-two years on the front lines of public education, the vast majority don't need a lifetime of special education, mental health therapy, and meds. 
     So to answer your question, yes.  The public schools are in many ways doing way too much to “help.”  Societal pressures sometimes play a huge role but we in the schools ultimately have ourselves to blame.  We should just provide a high quality education for students - that is what we are trained to provide and that is what taxpayers, parents, and students expect us to provide.

What have I neglected to ask or what would you like to further discuss?
     Parents and students, please continue to gather information from a variety of sources regarding this and related topics and ask great questions.  Education, mental health, and psychology in the schools are experiencing dramatic changes at this very moment.  You have the largest say in these changes because you are the true experts.  Please speak up and don't forget to visit The KOG the first of every month!

     Michael, I want to thank you and EdNews.org for this interview, it has been my privilege.

The KOG... always ahead of it's time...