Diane Behl, MEd

Diane Behl is a Senior Researcher at the Early Intervention Research Institute (EIRI) and is involved in the development and evaluation of numerous systems building efforts, particularly Champions for Inclusive Communities, funded by the federal Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs (DSCSHN). She has served on other DSCSHN-funded projects which focused on the application of a continuous quality improvement process for community-based systems of services. Additionally, she has investigated the effectiveness of care coordination through studies such as An Outcomes-based Approach to Evaluating Part C Service Coordination models and the effectiveness of medical homes for children with special needs. All of these projects have required the application of Participatory Action Research strategies whereby families and community stakeholders work as partners in the design, implementation, and interpretation of the research. In addition to these projects, Ms. Behl has extensive expertise in child and family assessments, including developing training and certification procedures for diagnosticians, and interpreting assessment results. She has first-hand knowledge and experience with children with special needs based on her nine years as a special education teacher. She has disseminated her research activities via numerous publications and conference presentations.