What you can expect from our team psychologist as part of your care at the Saint John’s Cleft Palate Center during team visits?
Brief Psychosocial Screenings: interview and questionnaires
During team visits, I meet briefly with patients and families to:
o Ask about emotional well-being, peer interactions, and coping
o Screen for school and academic challenges
o Identify needs for further support or referrals
Between team visits
Brief video or phone consults with Dr. LoBosco are provided as needed between clinic visits
o Available for questions about your clinic visit, process/procedure related to your child’s cleft
lip &/or palate, to discuss any behavioral, social or school concerns, including
issues/questions about bullying, self-esteem and adjustment to medical procedures or body
image
o Available to discuss referrals to therapists, groups and school support resources
o Available to provide information about obtaining appropriate school-based supports, such as
school-based assessments for learning or other difficulties, as well as understanding IEPs
and 504 plans for needed accommodations
Dr. LoBosco is available to assist with school-based services
o With your consent, she can liaise with school staff to better understand your child’s needs
and advocate for appropriate services
Other included services that we are rolling out
Psychoeducation & Guidance for Families
o Handouts about the many facets of the cleft palate journey
A resource list of vetted therapists, groups, and other external resources for ongoing
therapy or counseling
One pagers on the role of other team members, the stages and procedures
Guidance on how to talk to children about cleft-related experiences
Connected but not included services
Neuropsychological, psychoeducational and psychological testing
o
Ongoing therapy or counseling: refer out
Do we mention the scholarships available for testing and therapy? Can families request resources in addition
to our referral based system
Checklist
Passport
Workbook