Interdisciplinary Support Teams to Enhance Social Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes for Students With Disabilities

Abstract

This chapter highlights Project BEAMS (Behavioral Emotional and Mental Health Supports in Schools), an interdisciplinary personnel preparation program at San Diego State University. Project BEAMS is a five-year training grant funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to improve the preparation of school psychologists (SP) and special educators (SE) to deliver intensive, yet coordinated, interventions to address behavior and mental health. This chapter describes the training components and collaborative learning activities (e.g., core research-based courses, monthly project seminars, clinical practicum, summer institutes, and co-attendance at research conferences) that enable special educators and school psychologists to form teams that enhance academic, social-emotional, and behavioral outcomes for students with disabilities.