CLINICAL CARE

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The Chamberlain International School serves a diagnostically diverse student population. Our students have a wide range of learning and emotional challenges, including, but not limited to, learning disabilities, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, thought disorders, personality disorders, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, PTSD, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.   

Our approach to clinical care is founded in the belief that all students are capable of enormous personal growth when they are provided with the support they need. Here, therapists meet individually on a weekly basis with students. Therapists utilize a variety of techniques to individualized treatment based on each students's needs and strengths. Therapeutic strategies include Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Social Thinking Model, Exposure and Response Prevention, Motivational Interviewing,  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Collaborative Problem Solving, Client Centered Therapy, community-based life skills training, play therapy, and solution focused therapy among others. The therapists maintain close contact with Education staff, Student Life staff, Nursing, Medication Providers, and Administration so that they have intimate knowledge of how each student in their care is doing in all aspects of student life. Therapists are part of the treatment planning for each student, and they accompany them to campus medication management appointments.  

Group therapy is offered to all students on a weekly basis. Group therapy takes place in the student's classroom and is led by a therapist. Group therapy topics include, anti-bullying, healthy boundaries, coping skills, social skills, communication skills plus many others. These groups help students realize that they are experiencing similar situations in life. Group work helps our students increase their capacity for self expression while decreasing social insecurities.

Family involvement is a key aspect for student treatment. Therapists maintain close contact with families to coordinate care and provide support. Services offered to all families include psycho education, parent coaching, and a quarterly parent support group. The Chamberlain Parent support group, known as "Parent Connection" provides parents with an opportunity to communicate with other parents regarding questions, concerns, and suggestions in an attempt to help all parents feel a sense of belonging and decrease anxiety about their student's placement at the Chamberlain International School.  The Parent Support group is facilitated by the counseling department to maintain a respectful environment and ensure that all conversations remain confidential.  Family therapy is offered when clinically recommended based on student stability and goals of treatment. 

At Chamberlain International School we believe strongly that overall health and well being is not only enhanced through good nutrition and consistent exercise, but also that it is the basis for all that is necessary to making gains and success in academics and lasting emotional growth. The three nurses in the department work with our consultant nutritionist, our psychiatrists, and the clinical, academic and Student Life teams to ensure the students' medical and overall well being needs are being attended to and included in ongoing treatment planning.  

The nursing staff provide excellent daily support and care for students with a wide variety of medical conditions, including Crohn’s disease, and both environmental and dietary allergies. The nurses are available for students in the nursing office from 8-4 Monday through Friday and there is a nurse on campus from 2:30-10:30 nightly Monday through Friday.  A nurse is on call nightly and weekends for any medical or medication issue.  

There is a small infirmary in the nursing office for any students with a significant illness that is unable to attend school. We also have an ongoing relationship with a local pediatric office that can see our students for any type of acute illness or injury.  

The nursing staff at Chamberlain administer the majority of student medication but the director of nursing can delegate administration to staff that have been trained and certified by her.  Nurses monitor all student’s that take medication and communicate directly with the psychiatrists for any concerns that may arise related to medication.  At Chamberlain, the nurses also emphasize wellness, and the importance of a healthy diet and exercise to a students overall well being.  The nurses have initiated numerous health related activities including exercise classes, walking groups, step challenges and more.  The nurses will work with any student that has specific dietary or exercise needs and can create an individualized plan.  Nursing can also work with students regarding smoking cessation and various other health related topics.

The Chamberlain School has two part-time Speech Language Pathologists on staff to meet the communication needs of the students through program design, consultation, indirect service, and direct service in individual and group settings. Additionally, we have trained nurses who have consulted with an Audiologist to meet the auditory needs of the students. These services may include but are not limited to, verbal communication skills, hearing assessments, and fittings for audio logical devices. In the case that an American Sign Language interpreter is needed and is indicated in a student’s IEP we have worked cooperatively with the local School District to provide these services.

The Chamberlain School has a part time Occupational Therapist who consults and provides direct services to the faculty and students at the school. She provides both small group and individual services. The occupational therapist attends faculty meetings regularly or upon request to consult on training and issues related to sensory integration, motor skills, handwriting, keyboarding, and life skills. The Occupational Therapist has been instrumental in training Chamberlain’s educational staff to implement specific activities within the classroom setting.

The BCBA is able to conduct Functional Behavioral Assessments as needed and recommended by the IEP TEAM. As a result of these assessments, the TEAM may develop Behavioral Support Plans or Student Strategy Plans to better support student learning in the classroom or residential life. The BCBA will be available to participate in treatment team and IEP meetings as well as communicate directly with families and collateral agencies.