Interagency Collaboration and Mental Health
General Description
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District 622 Interagency Collaboration Initiatives
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Interagency Early Intervention Committee (IEIC)
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Therapeutic Support Program (TSP)
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Community Interagency Transition Committee (CTIC)
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ISD 622’s CTIC Representatives
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Project Enhance
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Suburban Ramsey Family Services Collaborative (SRFC)
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Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative
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Washington County Mental Health Collaborative
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District Mental Health Initiatives
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District Mental Health Screenings
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Mental Health Evaluations
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Building Mental Health Crisis Teams
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County Mobile Crisis Response Teams
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Child Protection Guidelines
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Lack of Supervision
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Mandated Reporting
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Mental Health and Community Resources
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Forms
Mental Health Screening Instrument Matrix
Procedures for Responding to a Student in Crisis
Building Mental Health Crisis Team Template
Mental Health Crisis Team Interview Form
Tips for Avoiding Conflict
Child Protection Report Form
Risk Inquiry for Secondary School
Chapter 12
Interagency Collaboration and Mental Health
The purpose of this chapter is to outline the collaborated efforts of District 622 to work
with county and other local agencies to plan and coordinate services for students with
disabilities. This chapter also provides information on mental health resources.
District 622 Interagency Collaboration Initiatives
Interagency Early Intervention Committee (IEIC)
District 622 is part of the local interagency early intervention committee and service
providers with Ramsey County and the Washington counties. It provides service coordination
for the families of children ages birth-5 with disabilities.
A central directory, created by the Minnesota Department of Health, provides
information on resources that may help families, providers and others working with young
children with special health needs or disabilities. It is arranged with general resource
descriptions up front, specific local resources listed by the county or reservation the child lives
in and by the school district the child would attend.
Therapeutic Support Program (TSP)
The Therapeutic Support Program is a collaborative project between Human Services,
Inc. and five Washington County school districts: Mahtomedi, South Washington County, North
St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, Stillwater and Forest Lake. Services are targeted to children
receiving special education who have an emotional or behavioral difficulty that adversely
affects their ability to function at home, in school or in the community. Services are provided to
those children at greatest risk for alternative school or out-of-home placement. Referrals can
only be made by school social workers in ISD 622.
Community Interagency Transition Committee (CTIC)
CTICs identify, coordinate, and plan needed services to help young people with
disabilities reach their potential at home, work and in the community. District 622 serves on the
Suburban Ramsey County and the Washington County CTICs. Members of CTICs are
individuals who represent the key players in developing transition services from school to adult
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life. They are students, family members, county service providers, rehabilitation service
counselors, other employment and training agencies, as well as other individuals from health
care, business, recreation and post secondary education.
To become a member of the Suburban Ramsey County and the Washington County CTICs,
contact the Director of Special Services for District 622.
District 622’s CTIC Representatives are listed below. The teacher and work based
learner coordinator will attend both CTICs together & are expected to arrange for a
replacement from their building if they cannot attend (1/2 day sub is provided).
ISD 622’s CTIC Representatives
School
Rep Name
County
ALC
Special Education Teacher
Suburban Ramsey
Next Step
Special Education Teacher Work
Based Learning Teacher
Special Education Teacher Work
Based Learning Teacher
Special Education Teacher Work
Based Learning Teacher
Suburban Ramsey
Next Step
North HS
Tartan HS
Special Education Teacher Work
Based Learning Teacher
Washington
Suburban Ramsey &
Washington
Suburban Ramsey &
Washington
Project Enhance
Project Enhance combines the strengths of intensive Ramsey County case
management and family community support. Enhance staff work with small caseloads of
Severe Emotionally Disorders (SED) children from Suburban Ramsey County School Districts.
They assess, plan, arrange and monitor mental health services and supports for children and
their families. They provide individual, group and family interventions in school, home and
community. Enhance provides the following services:
Assessment: Initial functional assessment will include review of current diagnostic
assessment, school status, family and peer issues and previous mental health
treatment plans.
Planning: The mental health portion of the IIIP will be completed with family and school
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participation - to determine needed mental health services and supports. The plan will
include a crisis response plan.
In order to qualify for Enhance services a student must:

Have a current SED diagnosis. (Children who likely meet SED criteria but do not
have a current diagnostic assessment must be assessed by either Enhance
intake or a community mental health provider within 30 days of the beginning of
services.)

Have the voluntary consent of their parent or legal guardian to participate in the
progra

Be referred through a school liaison and/or the Ramsey County CMH Intake Unit
and be accepted by Enhance intake, in consultation with the child's school
district.

Children must be a resident of Ramsey County and reside in one of the four
suburban school districts.

For K-5 students, students must have an EBD and SED diagnosis. For
secondary students, they only have to have a SED diagnosis.
For more information, please contact Jennie Kula at 651-702-8506
Suburban Ramsey Family Services Collaborative (SRFC)
District 622 is part of the Suburban Ramsey Family Services Collaborative (SRFC).
SRFC is a comprehensive system of care approach designed to support children, youth and
families in Suburban Ramsey County. This collaborative model incorporates formal and
informal resources, is integrated and coordinated, and meets and flexibly responds to the
emergent, multiple and changing needs of children and their families in our communities.
Stakeholders include parents and youth, schools, social service and mental health
agencies, county services, businesses, faith communities and local, state and federal funding
organizations.
The Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative mission is: Connecting individuals, families
and community resources to create relationships which enhance the well-being of our kids.
Our primary objective is to serve children, youth and families experiencing at-risk
circumstances in Suburban Ramsey County by improving and enhancing the formal and
informal support systems they rely on for the following outcomes: their health, learning, safety
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and security.
For more information, please contact Lisa Hoogheem at 651-748-7453
Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative
District 622 is part of the Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative. It
provides advice to member agencies and to coordinate and develop mental health services for
children, adolescents and their families, including working toward the development of a local
system of care in Ramsey County. Below are the goals for the collaborative:

Successfully sustain/support a child with complex mental health needs in
achieving his/her maximum level of functioning.

Create an integrated service system for the target population.

Provide cost effectiveness/cost containment through implementation of an
integrated service system.

Strengthen community-based services and nonresidential alternatives.

Increase system capacity for prevention and early identification / intervention.

Increase access and provide culturally appropriate programs and services.
For more information, please contact Lisa Hoogheem at 651-748-7453
Washington County Mental Health Collaborative
District 622 is part of the Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative. The
collaborative mission is to improve and support the maximum level of functioning for children
with a severe emotional disorder and their families within their home and community through
the promotion of agency collaboration, coordination, integrated funding and service system
change that provides culturally competent, flexible, non-traditional, wraparound services and
funding to children and their families. The target population is youth 0-17 years old, with a
severe emotional disorder (as defined by statute), that is receiving services from more than
one collaborative member agency. For more information, please contact Jennie Kula at 651702-8506
District Mental Health Initiatives
The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) require educational
agencies to provide special education and related services to eligible children and youth.
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Mental health services are not clearly defined in IDEA although it does define a number of
related services (e.g. counseling, psychology, social work, etc.), which may be included in a
child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). These related services are to be made available to
a child with disabilities to ensure that child receives a benefit from their specialized instruction
and receives a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
District Mental Health Screenings
Mental Health Screenings are a required part of any special education evaluation to
determine eligibility for emotional/behavioral disorders or as a result of the student having
more ten dismissals from school.
A mental health screening is a brief, culturally sensitive process designed to identify
students who may be at risk of having impaired mental health that warrants immediate
attention. The primary purpose for screening is to identify the need for further evaluation using
valid, reliable instruments.
Mental Health Screening activities must adhere to the following standards:

Screening must be voluntary and parental consent must be obtained

Screening instruments used must be both valid and reliable in identifying the
need for further assessment

Any person conducting the assessment must be qualified and trained

Screening must consider the cultural background of the family

Screening must never diagnose or label a child as having a mental health
disorder

Confidentiality must always be insured
District 622 will use the tools to screen for any mental health concerns that meet the
above standards. A sample list of screening tools is located at the end of this chapter.
School social workers will conduct the screening. Contact the social worker at the
building that your child attends for more information.
Mental Health Evaluations
If result of a mental screening indicates the need for further mental health evaluation,
the family may choose to seek out a mental health evaluation. A mental health evaluation is
conducted by the family’s physician and/or mental health professional. Results of the
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evaluation can be shared with the educational agency at the discretion of the parent. Parents
must sign a release of information with the educational agency to release the results of the
evaluation.
Building Mental Health Crisis Teams
In District 622, every building will have a mental health crisis team in place to assist with
mental health emergencies. Team members may include the social worker, psychologist,
school counselors, and nurses. Annually by October 15th, school socials will facilitate the
implementation of the mental health crisis team and educate all teachers and support staff on
the mental health crisis procedures. Social workers will outline procedures that staff should
follow in a mental health crisis. These procedures can be accessed at the end of this chapter.
County Mobile Crisis Response Teams
Parents or school staff may contact their respective counties mobile crisis response
team when crisis has escalated where family, student, or staff safety are a grave risk to self or
others.
When a crisis occurs at school, staff must obtain parent permission prior to enlisting the
help of mobile crisis. Mobile crisis will need insurance information to access this service. The
parent may choose to transport the student and not use mobile crisis. If parent permission can
not be obtained, the building administration may consider calling 911.

Washington County Crisis Response: 651-777-5222

Ramsey County Crisis Response: 651-774-7000
Mobile Crisis Response teams are composed of one Licensed Mental Health
Professional and one Mental Health Practitioner (Crisis Intervention Specialist). Below is a list
of services provided:

Crisis Response Services: Face-to-face short-term intensive mental health
services provided in-home.

Crisis Assessment: An on site crisis, functional, and diagnostic assessment by a
mental health professional following a screening which suggests that the individual may
be experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency.
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
Crisis Intervention: de-escalation, safety assessment, crisis intervention, assessment
for level of care, mental status exam, treatment plan, provisional diagnosis,
psychotherapy, collaboration with providers, appropriate referral.

Crisis Stabilization Services: Face-to-face individualized mental health services
following crisis intervention services or as a preventative measure, designed to restore
the individual to his or her prior level of functioning. A diagnosis is necessary for
stabilization services.

Stabilization Assessment: face-to-face multi-systemic functional assessment and
stabilization.

Stabilization Intervention: crisis stabilization, psychotherapy, diagnostic assessment,
functional assessment, community resource linkage, skills training, service planning
behavior management, collaboration, referrals.

Planning/supported Transition: assist in the transition of services.
Child Protection Guidelines
Response to Reports of Unsupervised Children
Washington County Community Services will assess the following reports: for children
ages 7 or younger, all reports of a child being left alone for any period of time. For children
ages 8 or 9, all reports of a child(ren) who is alone for more than one or two hours. It is
acceptable, in most situations, for a child to be at home alone while a parent runs an errand or
to be home alone before and/or after school until a parent returns from work. For children ages
10 through 13, all reports where a child(ren) is alone for more than 8 to 12 hours. It is
acceptable for a child to be alone all day until parent(s) returns from work but it is assumed a
parent, guardian or caretaker will be there in the evening. And for children ages 14 and older,
all reports where a parent has been gone for 24 hours or more if the child(ren) does not know
the whereabouts of a parent or when the parent(s) will return. It is acceptable for a child to be
home alone for 24 hours or more provided they have knowledge of where a parent is and how
to contact a parent or designated caretaker if needed. For children ages 11 to 14, it is
acceptable to babysit younger children all day with the expectation that a parent or guardian
will be returning to supervise the child(ren) later the same day. And for children ages 15 and
older, it is acceptable to babysit children for more than 24 hours.
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Lack of Supervision
Lack of Supervision is defined as failure to provide supervision, care, guidance and/or
protection, which results in the child being in situations beyond his ability to cope, at risk of
physical harm, at risk of sexual and/or other exploitation.
The child is left alone or is held responsible for siblings or other children for extended
periods of time and in circumstances beyond the child’s chronological age, social maturity, or
judgment to handle safely. This includes the child’s exposure to, or expectations to manage
environmental hazards.
Assessments will be conducted on the following:
a. Children age 5 and younger left alone for any period of time.
b. Children ages 6-9 alone over three hours.
c. Children ages 10-13 alone for over 12 hours.
d. Children alone over 24 hours if parent’s whereabouts are unknown to children.
In all of above, Child Protection Services (CPS) will involve police for immediate
safety check of children where appropriate.
e. Children ages 11 to 14 may baby-sit with the expectation that an adult will return
later in the day.
f. Children age 15 and older may baby-sit for more than 24 hours.
The caretaker displays erratic or impaired behavior, engages in substance abuse,
suffers from severe emotional disturbances or is documented by a professional as so
developmentally delayed, and whose behaviors, alone or in combination, are of such duration
and intensity that the bare minimum of child-caring tasks and human responses necessary for
physical and emotional nurturance cannot be performed.
Reports of women in third trimester of pregnancy who are diagnosed as seriously
mentally ill, significantly developmentally delayed, and whose parental rights to another child
have been involuntarily terminated.
Lack of supervision includes, but is not limited to, such behavior as:

Selecting unreliable persons to provide child care,

leaving a young child alone for an extended period of time without access to a
responsible adult or without knowledge of how to reach help,

caretaker is arrested for driving under the influence with children in the car,

drug raids where children are present and drugs are found, or
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
child is present/involved in parent committing a criminal act.
Mandated Reporting
Under Minnesota Statute 626.556, persons in designated professional occupations are
mandated to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Persons who work with children and
families are in a position to help protect children from harm. These persons are required by law
to report to child protection if they know or have a reason to believe that a child is being
abused or neglected or that a child has been neglected or abused within the prior three (3)
years.
The individual with direct knowledge of possible child abuse or neglect is individually
responsible to report to the police or child protection. Reporting the concern to a supervisor,
administrator, or other co-workers does not mitigate your responsibility to report.
If a mandated reporter does not report suspected abuse or neglect, they could be
prosecuted for committing a misdemeanor. If a child suffers substantial or great bodily harm as
a result of not receiving needed treatment for the abuse or neglect because of a failure to
report, it is a gross misdemeanor. If the child dies as a result, it is a felony. The reporter's
name is confidential, accessible only if the reporter consents or by a court order.
Child Protection Reporting Phone Numbers
Ramsey County 651-266-4500
Washington County 651-430-6457
Mental Health and Community Resources
Links to mental health and community resources will be posted to the district website at
http://isd622specialservices.webaloo.com/interagency_collaboration.aspx
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