The topic of leadership among program directors deserves expanded study.

In "What Is the Problem With ThirdParty Prescription for School-Based Practice" (AjOT, Ocrober 1996, pp. 750-751), Royeen discusses the difficulties of third-party therapists involved in me evaluation of a child receiving school-based occupational therapy. I agree with the author that an evaluation void of the school environment is problematic. Frequently, third-party therapists have little awareness of the problems faced by the school-based therapist. Specifically, school-based therapists rarely have a place to work, and equipment is usually carried into the school by hand. Without the knowledge of the situation faced by the school therapist, the mird-party merapist may recommend a treatment plan that is very difficult or inappropriate ro implement in the school. When a third-party evaluation is done without any consultation with the school-based therapist, the school therapist may feel undermined. Parents may believe that meir child should be receiving additional services that the school therapist may not be able to provide in terms of numbers of hours or type of treatment. It may also be problematic if a school-based therapist has observed and worked with a child for several monms, whereas me third-parry therapist has seen the child for an hour or two. Who is in the best position ro correctly evaluate the child? Without joint consultation between therapists, the parents are left to wonder who indeed has the correct evaluation. School-based occupational merapists need ro actively educate adminis(tarors, parents, teachers, and nonschool-based occupational therapists about the difficulties faced in providing school-based occupational therapy as well as the legitimate roles that need ro be carried our. The American Occupational Therapy Association also needs ro continue ro address this issue via AjOT The most important focus for school-based occupational therapists is assisting in creating an atmosphere of educational success for me student with disabilities. To achieve this, schoolbased therapists need suppOrt, not competition.