Supporting Children With High-Intensity Needs Through Interdisciplinary Personnel Preparation

This chapter addresses potential challenges and opportunities of developing innovative programs in interdisciplinary personnel preparation in special education and related services. The mission of this chapter is to advocate for an interdisciplinary personnel preparation model in special education and related services, particularly for serving young children with significant disabilities and their families from high-need communities. First, an interdisciplinary conceptual framework that guides the model is illustrated. Second, the authors demonstrate essential components of the model with evidence and highlight the features of the model. Finally, three program examples of the model are presented to provide evidence-based strategies for serving children with high-intensity needs and their families. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future directions.