Butte County Special Education Local Plan Area
EDUCATIONALLY RELATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
REFERRAL FLOW CHART
Need Identified:
The referral process begins when a student is identified with emotional/behavioral issues which
impede their ability to benefit from special education (Considerations: attendance, declining
grades/work completion, suspension data, lack of progress on goals/objectives, standardized test
scores, district assessments etc.)
 The concerns are identified as significant as indicated by rate of occurrence and intensity
 The concerns are associated with a condition that cannot be described solely as a
temporary adjustment problem that can be resolved with less than three months of school
counseling.
 The school has provided pre-referral counseling as appropriate, psychological, and or
guidance services and the IEP team has determined that the services do not meet the
pupil’s educational needs or are inappropriate.
 The school has identified the specific lack of educational progress and how this is directly
related to the student’s mental health needs.
School Psychologist/Case Manager may consult with Jim Voss PhD ERMHS Coordinator BCOE
(530) 864-4347 jvoss@bcoe.org. This consult is to identify the referral is in process and to
answer any questions regarding the process or scope of the ERMHS referral.
The School Psychologist/Case Manager:
 Have an assessment plan signed by the parents or guardians, including the referral to
BCBH for Psycho-Social-Behavioral Assessment, which will produce a recommendation
for level of service. Suggestions for Assessment: Under other: Review of records,
observation, interview student and family. Under Alternative means: Referral to BCBH
for Psycho-Social-Behavioral assessment and recommendation of appropriate level of
service.
 Explore the data and information regarding the student’s need for mental health services.
 Document emotional behavioral need that causes the student to need mental health
service in order to benefit from their special education.
 Identify a behavioral need to be indicated on the ERMHS cover sheet.
 If you have identified a need it will be important to write a goal in order to address the
concern. This may be part of the BSP.
 The goal may be adjusted at some point after consultation and assessment by BCBH.
 Note that all LEA based counseling services have been considered and found to not be
appropriate or effective.
 Look at the BSP –or indicate why it’s not deemed appropriate or necessary. The BSP
needs to score a 14 or better on the PENT rubric.
 HIPPS and FERPA releases signed (see referral process below).
 At this point the IEP team has determined that the student is ERMHS eligible.
Psychologist/ Case Manager completes referral packet to include:
 ERMHS cover sheet
 Copy of IEP
 Copy of BSP
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Butte County Special Education Local Plan Area
EDUCATIONALLY RELATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
REFERRAL FLOW CHART
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Most recent psycho educational evaluation (Not more than two years old)
Release of Information sheets signed for appropriate schools and BCBH
Both the BCBH HIPPA form and the BCOE FERPA form are required
 PLEASE INSURE THAT THE RELEASE INCLUDES: BCBH and any others who
are providing mental health service, BCOE, the school district, and other pertinent
agencies.
Statement of progress that would indicate when the services are no longer needed (on
cover sheet).
Include outside agency assessments and reports if available.
Other pertinent information or circumstances that escalate the current level of need?
(suicidality, hospitalizations, etc., indicate on cover sheet)
The referral packet is sent to ERMHS Coordinator, Jim Voss,PhD, at Butte County
SELPA, who will deliver it to BCBH.
BCBH will review/assess for case opening if not already open for services. The BCBH
Clinician will notify the case manager and the ERMHS coordinator that they are initiating the
assessment process. If there is any complication in accessing the family/ student for assessment,
BCBH will consult with ERMHS Coordinator and the Case Manager.
 Once the assessment is completed BCBH will contact Jim Voss, ERMHS Coordinator,
and the appropriate Case Manager/ School Psychologist so an IEP can be held to review
the assessment and the recommended service and to consider writing services on the IEP.
 The BCBH clinician will provide the assessment to the Case Manager for review.
 ERMHS Coordinator will consult with IEP team Psychologist/Case Manager and BCBH
regarding the recommended services and appropriate service codes.
 It is important to remember that the IEP team makes the decision regarding
whether to write services and what services to write.
Addendum is held to document ERMHS on IEP:
 Invite BCBH and the ERMHS coordinator to the IEP.
 BCBH will insure that ERMHS Coordinator and the IEP case manager (indicated on
cover page) have contact information (name, phone, E-mail) for the proposed provider of
services.
 Insure there is at least one specific measurable behavioral goal (see sample goals).
 Although the service is provided by BCBH, due to SEIS drop down options, Department
of Mental Health is indicated as the provider of services (services page).
 It is important to remember that services are determined for each student by the
IEP team. The examples given are intended to provide some guidance as to usual levels
of service.
 Use the correct codes for services provided. For most referrals:
510 Individual Counseling: 60 min. 4 x 240 min. monthly
525 Social Work Services: 30 min 2X 120 min monthly (see sample codes page)
 Services are written for the minimum level of service to be delivered since the IEP
process requires that the written services are provided. (The provider may actually
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Butte County Special Education Local Plan Area
EDUCATIONALLY RELATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
REFERRAL FLOW CHART
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provide increased minutes of service as needed in cooperation with the referring
Psychologist and the ERMHS Coordinator.)
There may be times when additional services are needed because the student is in danger
of hospitalization or of needing out of home placement in order to be able to benefit from
their special education. It is possible to provide additional or enhanced mental health
services after consultation with the Case Manager/School Psychologist, BCBH and the
ERMHS Coordinator, Jim Voss, PhD.
For enhanced services the following codes are often used:
520 Parent Counseling: 60 min 2X 120 min/month
535 Behavior Intervention Services: 60 min 4X 240 min/month
There are occasions when a residential placement may be necessary in order to provide
FAPE.
Consideration for residential placement is made by the IEP team in conjunction with the
Special Ed. Director, School Psychologist/Case Manager, SELPA ERMHS Coordinator
and BCBH Clinician/Program Manager.
Monitoring and adjustment of services:
 Services should be monitored and adjusted as needed.
 The Case Manager will provide a timeline to the BCBH clinician for progress reports in
accordance with their district timelines.
 The BCBH clinician will provide a progress report including: dates of service, minutes
served and progress toward meeting goals, to the case manager indicated on the cover
page. In addition, reports will be provided within ten days if requested.
 ERMHS services are normally written for 12 months. It is recommended that the IEP
team meet at least twice during the school year to monitor the services and evaluate for
benefit and need.
 An IEP will be held to discuss the discontinuation of ERMHS services when the
 IEP team’s original statement f need is met signaling that the mental health service is no
longer needed for the student to benefit from their Special Education.
Revised 9/24/13 JV