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About

Dr. Schafer holds an extensive educational background in psychology and special education, culminating in a Doctor of Philosophy in School Psychology from the University of Alabama. His dissertation focused on developing psychometric properties for functional communication assessments used as screening tools in mental health centers across Alabama. He earned a Master of Science in Education from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater and a Master of Arts in Human Services from the University of Illinois at Springfield, equipping him with a strong foundation in deaf mental health, particularly through psychoeducational evaluations then counseling strategies for the deaf with substance use issues.

Professionally, Schafer currently serves as the Regional Director for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, where he oversees educational administration and team leadership in a multi-functional center in rural west Alabama serving individuals from birth through geriatric care for sensory differences and developmental delay. Aside from multiple publications, he has been a guest lecturer at various universities, teaching graduate courses for psychology, counseling, and/or communication studies. His previous roles include Director of Counseling and Evaluation, where he supervised counseling teams and managed diagnostic assessments, as well as interim director focusing on clinical oversight for deaf patients inside psychiatric settings while maintaining a small therapeutic caseload in the community.

Schafer emphasizes the need for accessibility in communication, focusing on both verbal and nonverbal strategies. He is actively engaged in leadership roles with organizations like ADARA and has received multiple awards for his contributions to education and community engagement, highlighting his dedication to mental health awareness and educational accessibility for sign language users to advance their respective practice professions. As a frequent presenter at conferences and schools, he is known for his ability to blend practice, theory, and research, and to describe complex information in easy to understand and meaningful ways. Schafer underscores the importance of navigating cross-cultural conflict to ensure collaboration across disciplines. His breadth of topics and settings reflects a robust engagement with critical issues in education and/or mental health, aiming to foster understanding and better serve sign-fluent communities. His commitment to the deaf community extends beyond his professional duties; he actively promotes awareness through volunteer work, including his involvement in disc golf, which earned him entry into the Illinois Disc Golf Hall of Fame. When not challenging us all to a greater good, he can be found with his wife, two daughters, and the fur-pup.

Currently Teaching

COU-714 Psychopathology and Diagnostics Credits: 3