The Summary Conference

The goal of the interdisciplinary team process, as described in the preceding chapters, is to develop a consensus opinion regarding diagnoses and to formulate a comprehensive treatment plan. An equally essential element of the diagnostic and prescriptive process is to convey findings and recommendations of the interdisciplinary team to the parents (and, when appropriate, to the child) through a summary conference. The individual assigned this responsibility (usually the case manager) has a very difficult and important responsibility; this is the subject of the final chapter.