Counseling as a Related Service
Lauren Foster
Melinda Islas
Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, religion, sex, disability, or any other legally protected status in employment or provision of services,
programs, or activities. View Nondiscrimination Policy English/Spanish
BEST PRACTICES
The Special Education counseling professional works as
part of a multi-disciplinarian team to meet the
individual needs of the students we serve. We comply
with laws and policies and with professional
standards. We collaborate, cooperate and
communicate with other professionals, organizations
and parents with integrity and respect. We value
those we serve by maintaining confidentiality and by
protecting the rights of all individuals. We maintain a
high standard of competence by continuing
professional growth through ongoing education and
professional development. We hold paramount the
welfare and needs of our students by following strict
ethical standards.
GUIDELINES
Special education counseling is legally defined as a related service that
is required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special
education and is provided by a licensed/certified mental health
professional. Counseling is available for special education students
who are unsuccessful due to an emotional component impacting
school performance or for students who qualify on the autism
spectrum with severe social skills deficits that impair school
performance. Students eligible for services must display significant
emotional or social deficits.
Counseling is an intervention that supports the student in achieving
his or her individual goals. The special education counselor will
work from a counseling IEP that is separate from a behavior
intervention plan. Counseling services will be delivered as
recommended and then faded as appropriate for students.
What is Special Education
Counseling?
Related service
 Reason for referral must be educationally
relevant in an academic school setting for
an identified special education student
 Must be determined through an
evaluation and through an ARD
 Requires parent consent

What interventions are needed
prior to requesting counselor's
evaluation?





Refer to general education/grade level
counselor
Review/develop classroom accommodations,
strategies, and behavior interventions
Peer mentor
Tutoring
Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
What are considerations for
multi-disciplinary team?
Must follow specific procedures Staffing
 Address documentation of intervention’s
success
 Improvement, continue with interventions
 No improvement – determine why lack of
improvement
 Request FBA/BIP
 Implement BIP interventions for 3 to 6
weeks (if no improvement re-staff)
How does one access SpEd
counseling?
Re-staffing
 Case manager will have completed the
SPED counseling pre-referral form
 Team should review information gathered
with pre-referral form
 SPED counselor will determine need for
additional interventions and/or need for a
SPED counseling evaluation
What is considered an
educationally relevant referral?



A significant drop in achievement, and/or a
pattern of failure across the core curriculum
A pattern of excessive absences that
threaten school success due to emotional
issues (i.e. anxiety, school phobia, etc)
Significant social skills or behavioral deficits
that impact educational achievement and are
not developmentally appropriate
What is NOT considered an
educationally relevant referral?
(Generally an educational need for special education
counseling is not present when a student is experiencing
problems common to students of the same age and
developmental stage.)
Truancy not related to emotional issues
 Poor academic performance
 Low self-esteem
 Difficulties with peer relations
 Poor organizational skills
 Gang related behaviors and/or issues
 Home life and/or family issues

Are there any exceptions to
this process?
Crisis intervention
 Suicidal ideation
 Homicidal ideation

Crisis intervention does not require
parent permission.
Evaluations
Elementary- LSSP
 Secondary-Special Education
Counselor/LSSP

Service Providers
Elementary-Campus Counselor
 Secondary-Special Education Counselor

Documentation
Counselor Service Log
 Confidentiality

Progress Reporting
Special Education Manager
 IEP
 Progress Reports-9 wks
Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, religion, sex, disability, or any other legally protected status in employment or provision of services,
programs, or activities. View Nondiscrimination Policy English/Spanish