Navigating educational accommodations, special education services, and workplace supports can be overwhelming for families and individuals. At CNS Behavioral Health, we provide comprehensive advocacy services to ensure that patients receive the accommodations, interventions, and legal protections they are entitled to in school and workplace settings.

Dr. Bishay is highly knowledgeable in special education law, tiered interventions (MTSS), disability eligibility criteria, and specialized instruction. She has extensive experience in the development and implementation of IEPs, 504 Plans, Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).

Additionally, she possesses a deep understanding of legal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ensuring that individuals receive the legally appropriate accommodations, modifications, and support services necessary for success in academic and professional environments.

Advocacy and school support
Advocacy for school, IEP, 504 plan

Expert Guidance in Special Education & Legal Protections

Dr. Bishay specializes in interpreting psychoeducational and neuropsychological evaluations and ensuring that assessment results are effectively translated into actionable supports within IEPs and 504 Plans. She provides guidance on specialized instruction and intervention strategies for students with:

  • Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia)
  • ADHD & Executive Functioning Challenges
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Intellectual Disabilities
  • Emotional and Behavioral Disturbances

Additionally, she has extensive experience developing FBAs and BIPs, which support students struggling with self-regulation, executive functioning, and behavioral challenges in school settings.

Collaboration & Advocacy Across Multiple Systems

Dr. Bishay has worked extensively with educators, school psychologists, therapists, special education instructors, administrators, and legal professionals to ensure that students receive the appropriate services, accommodations, and interventions. She has experience collaborating with special education attorneys and advocates to represent families in securing educational resources and has provided consultation on due process cases, mediation meetings, and state-level special education disputes.

Her expertise in statewide testing accommodations ensures that students receive the legally protected modifications they need, such as:

  • Extended time on standardized tests
  • Alternative test formats
  • Assistive technology accommodations

Beyond Education: Workplace Advocacy & Accommodations

Dr. Bishay’s advocacy extends beyond schools and into the workplace, assisting adults in securing workplace accommodations for cognitive, emotional, and executive functioning challenges under the ADA. She consults with employers and HR professionals to ensure compliance with federal disability laws and to create supportive, accessible work environments that allow individuals to perform at their highest potential.

Advocacy Services Offered

Attendance at School & Special Education Meetings

  • Participation in Eligibility Meetings, IEP Meetings, 504 Plan Meetings, and Special Education Consultations.
  • Interpretation of evaluation results, explaining how cognitive, emotional, or learning challenges affect performance.
  • Ensuring that individualized supports, accommodations, and interventions align with assessment findings.

Consultation with Educators & School Teams

  • Collaborating with teachers, special education instructors, and school psychologists to ensure learning strategies align with a student’s unique cognitive profile.
  • Assisting schools in developing academic, social-emotional, and behavioral goals based on evaluation data.
  • Supporting the implementation of specialized instruction and intervention programs tailored to a student’s learning needs.

Development of Individualized Plans

  • Assisting in developing IEPs, Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).
  • Ensuring that accommodations are practical, effective, and evidence-based.
  • Helping parents and educators determine the best instructional methods for a child’s learning and processing style.

Parental Guidance & Special Education Rights

  • Educating parents on their legal rights regarding psychoeducational testing, retesting, and special education services.
  • Providing insight into the disability eligibility process and criteria for receiving school-based services.
  • Helping families navigate statewide testing accommodations and alternative assessments.

Workplace Advocacy & Accommodations

  • Consulting with employers and HR representatives to support individuals in obtaining workplace accommodations under the ADA.
  • Assisting employees with attention, executive functioning, or mental health-related challenges in securing appropriate supports.

Attendance at School & Special Education Meetings

  • Participation in Eligibility Meetings, IEP Meetings, 504 Plan Meetings, and Special Education Consultations.
  • Interpretation of evaluation results, explaining how cognitive, emotional, or learning challenges affect performance.
  • Ensuring that individualized supports, accommodations, and interventions align with assessment findings.

Consultation with Educators & School Teams

  • Collaborating with teachers, special education instructors, and school psychologists to ensure learning strategies align with a student’s unique cognitive profile.
  • Assisting schools in developing academic, social-emotional, and behavioral goals based on evaluation data.
  • Supporting the implementation of specialized instruction and intervention programs tailored to a student’s learning needs.

Development of Individualized Plans

  • Assisting in developing IEPs, Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).
  • Ensuring that accommodations are practical, effective, and evidence-based.
  • Helping parents and educators determine the best instructional methods for a child’s learning and processing style.

Parental Guidance & Special Education Rights

  • Educating parents on their legal rights regarding psychoeducational testing, retesting, and special education services.
  • Providing insight into the disability eligibility process and criteria for receiving school-based services.
  • Helping families navigate statewide testing accommodations and alternative assessments.

Workplace Advocacy & Accommodations

  • Consulting with employers and HR representatives to support individuals in obtaining workplace accommodations under the ADA.
  • Assisting employees with attention, executive functioning, or mental health-related challenges in securing appropriate supports.

How Advocacy Services Help You

  • Ensure that evaluation results are applied in meaningful, real-world ways to support academic and professional success.
  • Equip parents and individuals with the tools and language needed to advocate for themselves effectively.
  • Reduce the stress and confusion of navigating IEPs, 504 Plans, accommodations, and workplace modifications.
  • Empower educators with data-driven insights on how to support diverse learners effectively.
IEP advocacy
Every Child Matters; Advocacy and support in Reston, Fairfax and McClean VA

Turning Evaluation Data Into Actionable Support

Each individual learns, processes, and interacts with their environment differently. At CNS Behavioral Health, our advocacy services ensure that the data from evaluations is not just a report—it becomes a roadmap for social, emotional, academic, and behavioral success.

By collaborating with schools, workplaces, and legal professionals, we ensure that every patient receives the practical, applicable, and individualized support they need. Advocacy services are an additional resource designed to empower individuals and families with the knowledge, confidence, and tools necessary to navigate educational and professional accommodations successfully.

Get Started

At CNS Behavioral Health, our advocacy and support services provide expert guidance and personalized care—whether advocating for student accommodations, assisting professionals with workplace challenges, or helping families navigate special education, we’re dedicated to empowering individuals with the tools and resources they need to succeed.