Unlocking Insights: Exploring the Profiles of School-Based Telefacilitators

Area of Science:

• Telepractice in education
• Allied health professional roles
• Telehealth implementation science

Background:

• School-based telefacilitators are vital for telepractice success but are underresearched.
• Their diverse roles and lack of standardized profiles hinder research and sustainable program development.
• Understanding telefacilitator characteristics is key to optimizing teletherapy service delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the typical profile and preparation of school-based telefacilitators in the US.
• To identify characteristics contributing to sustainable telepractice programs.
• To inform future research and staffing needs for teletherapy services.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to 21 telefacilitators across the US.
• Data collected on job titles, training, confidence, and demographics.
• Adaptive sampling methods were used for recruitment, followed by descriptive statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• Most telefacilitators were paraprofessionals, though titles varied widely.
• Half received formal training; the other half were self-taught, with the latter reporting training gaps.
• Respondents generally had high confidence but noted training impacts performance; most held bachelor's degrees or higher.

Conclusions:

• Significant variability exists in telefacilitator profiles and preparation.
• Inconsistent terminology and undefined responsibilities are barriers to research and staffing.
• Further investigation is needed to establish clear roles and training standards for telepractice.