The Psychological Studies in Education department in Temple University's College of Education and Human Development is proud to announce Paul Jones as the new director of the Psychoeducational Clinic.  

Jones received his PhD in school psychology from Temple in 2017. Prior to that, he earned his bachelor's degree from Villanova University, his master's degree from Nottingham Trent University (United Kingdom), and a postgraduate certificate from Eastern University.

His research focuses on the intersection of self and psychology, and his clinical work is rooted in pediatric pain. Combined, these experiences, which emphasize the connection between physical and mental health, have broadened his perspective and underscore the importance of addressing both in tandem, particularly in schools.

"You can't address problems of the mind without addressing problems of the body," according to Jones. "And you can't really address problems with the body without addressing problems of the mind. Those two things go hand in hand."  

Jones says his various professional experiences, which include working in clinics, private practice, school districts, hospitals and higher education, have given him a lot of context. "Each experience brings amazing opportunities to grow personally and professionally," he shares.  

"No family is the same," says Jones. "It's crucial to be curious about each family's experience, and I instill this in my students. People have different worldviews, they come from different cultural backgrounds, different ethnicities. It is not about being able to share the same experience, so much as it is about being curious and being able to challenge your own implicit biases."

In recent years, the Psychoeducational Clinic has been directed by faculty researchers, which allowed for a strong research focus. Jones' appointment brings a new dimension, drawing on his extensive clinical background to further integrate practical, hands-on experience into the clinic's operations.

"CEHD is committed to serving the needs of our local community, and our Psychoeducational Clinic is a shining example of this commitment," says Dean Monika Williams Shealey. "Dr. Jones has dedicated his career to supporting the educational, mental health and wellness needs of residents right here in Philadelphia. He brings over a decade of experience to this role, and I am grateful for his leadership as our college continues to serve our students and local community."  

As a program alum, Jones is heavily influenced by his own experience as a student clinician at Temple. Of course, things change over time - our faculty, National Association of School Psychologists standards - and so does our program. Most recently, Temple's school psychology program has shifted to focus on a broader practice model of school psychology, which, Jones says, "includes more mental health interventions and a larger focus on academic assessment, intervention and instructional supports." He notes that students now have a better sense of how to use counseling skills when performing an assessment, and that the process can be therapeutic for the family, leading to building stronger relationships and a sense of security, driving family follow-through with interventions and ultimately improving outcomes for the client.

Training Tomorrow's School Psychologists

Temple's Psychoeducational Clinic helps fill a need in the community and provides an unparalleled, hands-on training experience for Temple's school psychology students. Under Jones' direction, students are not only mastering diagnostic skills but also learning how to craft culturally informed, individualized interventions. Jones says this unique training experience is not available in all school psychology programs, with many institutions instead relying on school districts to provide practical training.  

At Temple, student clinicians benefit from working in both the clinic and in school settings simultaneously, providing opportunities to explore various skill sets and resources, and work with a variety of professionals and clients.  

"The clinic shapes the way they work," Jones says, adding that it is especially important that student clinicians develop the capacity to understand and work within complex cultural and socioeconomic challenges.  

"Our students are learning how to diagnose and assess," Jones says, "but they are also learning to take that data and truly create individualized recommendations that are responsive to the needs of the child, that are empirically supported, and that consider the child's cultural and linguistic backgrounds."

The result is a broader perspective that graduates apply in the field in professional practice. Those graduates are in high demand, according to Jones, because of the enhanced empathy and practical skills they have developed through their work in the clinic.

He adds, "The clinic has always been focused on implementing culturally responsive practices consistent with the social justice mission of our program, our college, our university. It's really designed to improve access for families in our immediate North Philadelphia community."

Commitment to Community

Temple's clinic serves a diverse population, primarily within the North Philadelphia community surrounding Temple's Main Campus. Services are offered on a sliding scale, creating access for client families.  

According to Jones, traditional assessment practices have led to an overrepresentation of marginalized groups being placed in special education.  

"[Industry standard] assessment practices historically have done a lot of damage," Jones says. "It's not just about thinking differently about assessments, but it's also about undoing the damage that's been done."  

Therefore, Jones emphasizes, students need to understand the history of assessment practices and their impact on marginalized communities, and use that knowledge to transform how they serve all children.  

We get there, he says, with assessments that go beyond traditional diagnostics, emphasizing a holistic, culturally aware approach. He encourages students to think about the environment and systems surrounding each child, not just their immediate symptoms or challenges, and to consider their own personal biases as well. This enables the student clinicians to foster a deeper understanding of how to best support families and schools.  

"The most important outcome in the clinic is the kiddo that we're working with," says Jones.  

Forward Thinking

Jones aims to expand the clinic's reach and continue fostering a challenging training environment for school psychology students. Assessment and diagnostics are important skills, but his goal is for student clinicians to approach this work with culturally informed and individualized interventions that are empirically supported and responsive to each child's unique needs.  

"I want to think about training in a broader sense and to foster a culturally responsive perspective for our students," he says. "I want to improve access for families. I want to make sure our students are getting a phenomenal training experience that is challenging and helps them grow as clinicians."

When graduates go on to their professional roles, Jones says he hopes they influence their organizations to continue the transformative work advancing school mental health practices and advocating for change in assessment processes.  

"Our students will transform the field by using assessments not just as diagnostic tools, but as pathways to real change for the children they serve. That's the transformative power of the clinic. Our students are more than practitioners - they're advocates, changemakers and the future leaders of this field."

 

 

Learn more about the Psychoeducational Clinic in our January 2024 article and on our website.