Exceptional Student Education
Counseling as a Related Service for Students with Disabilities Process
Overview
Any student with a disability demonstrating social or emotional issues that impede his or her
learning might require counseling as a related service to benefit from special education. A
continuum of counseling services is provided based on the intensity and frequency of support
needed by the student.
Legal Requirement
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), decisions about related services to
be provided to a student with a disability are made during the Individual Educational Plan (IEP)
process and must be based on an assessment of the student’s individual needs. If counseling is
required to assist a student to benefit from special education, then the need for this service must
be documented on the IEP as a related service. A continuation of need for counseling must be
reviewed at least annually by the IEP team.
Key Points
 Counseling includes: individual student counseling; small group counseling; crisis
counseling; networking between school, home, and community resources; and parent
support/training.

Counseling can be provided by licensed professionals (licensed psychologists, licensed
school psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed mental health providers),
or Florida Department of Education certified professionals (school psychologists, school
social workers, school counselors).

The primary responsibility of the Home School Intervention Counselor (HSIC) is to
provide counseling services to students who have been assigned to an
Emotional/Behavioral Disability (E/BD) cluster school site.

The role of the Behavior Analyst/Management Specialist and the classroom teacher is not
to provide counseling services. Instruction in social skills (i.e., LEAPS, Skills Streaming,
and Steps to Success) is not considered counseling.

When any student with a disability demonstrates a need for counseling, the IEP team
must describe: the date the student will begin receiving the service; how often the service
will be provided; the location at which the student will receive the service; and the
duration the district will continue providing the service. A counseling service provider
must be an IEP team member or provide input prior to the meeting.

Students assigned to an Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (E/BD) special class shall
receive intensive services that include individual and/or group counseling.

Not all students assigned to an E/BD special class require both individual and group
counseling. Careful consideration should be taken when determining the counseling
service delivery model for students with social or emotional issues.

When a school has provided Supportive and Directed services and the student
demonstrates a greater need for counseling, the Intervention Support Specialist must
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complete the Request for District Support Services form and contact the school’s
designated ESE Coordinator prior to proposing Intensive services by a Home School
Intervention Counselor. This form is not required for students assigned to an E/BD
cluster school.

The request, including the school’s supporting documentation, will be reviewed by the
ESE Coordinator and the SEDNET Manager to obtain approval of District resources.

The ESE Coordinator will notify the Intervention Support Specialist of approval of
counseling services provided by a Home School Intervention Counselor and the staff
person assigned to deliver services.
Continuum of Counseling for Students with Disabilities
The following description of counseling services is provided based on the intensity, and
frequency of support needed by the student.
Supportive (school counselor or school psychologist):

monthly consultation - sharing of information among teachers, families, agencies, and others
in order to address the student’s needs by the school counselor or school psychologist;

monthly counseling or guidance – student meets individually or participates in group
counseling by the school counselor or school psychologist.
Directed (school counselor or school psychologist):

weekly counseling or consultation – student meets individually or participates in group
counseling;

weekly parent intervention – parent support, assistance to parent specifically targeted to
identified student need, or parent training;

individual, small group or crisis counseling more than once a week;

case management – network with the school, home, and community resources to address the
individual student’s needs due to presenting behaviors.
Intensive (Home School Intervention Counselor):

weekly counseling or consultation – student meets individually or participates in group
counseling with HSIC for students who have been assigned to an E/BD cluster school site to
discuss behavior and/or social skills;

weekly parent intervention – parent support, assistance to parent specifically targeted to
identified student need, or parent training provided by HSIC for students who have been
assigned to an E/BD cluster school site;

individual, very small group or crisis counseling more than once a week;
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
social work case management– network with the school, home, and community resources to
facilitate, link, monitor, and advocate for students and their families to ensure that multiple
services, designed to meet a families and a student’s need for services, are delivered in a
coordinated and therapeutic manner.
IEP Procedural Steps
1. Following the standard IEP meeting notice to parents, inform all mandatory team
members, and a counseling service provider, of the purpose, time and location of the
meeting and who will be in attendance. For purpose of the team’s discussion, a
counseling service provider must be a participant or provide input prior to the meeting.
The IDEA conditions for excusal do not apply when a counseling service provider is
unable to attend the meeting.
2. Discuss the student’s individual social or emotional issues adversely impacting his or her
learning.
3. Develop a statement of the student’s present level of academic or functional performance
including how the student’s social or emotional issues impede his or her involvement in
the general education curriculum.
4. Develop or identify an existing measurable annual goal to address the student’s social or
emotional issues that can be supported by the counseling service provider.
5. Document counseling as a Related Service on the IEP.
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