Document provides guidance on follow-up actions in response to universal mental health screening in schools.

(1)  Definitions.

• (a) Student Support Team (SST) - an interdisciplinary group that uses a systematic process to address learning and/or behavior problems of students, K-12, in a school.

(2)  Requirements.

• (a) Each school shall have a minimum of one SST and shall establish support team procedures.

• (b) Before a referral is made for other supplemental or support services an evaluation and/or assessment shall be conducted.

• 1. Prior evaluation(s) and/or assessment(s) of a student for a state or federal program shall be considered as having met this requirement.

• (c) The SST shall include at a minimum the referring teacher and at least two of the following participants, as appropriate to the needs of the student:

• 1. Principal.
• 2. General education teacher.
• 3. Counselor.
• 4. Lead teacher.
• 5. School psychologist.
• 6. Subject area specialist.
• 7. ESOL teacher.
• 8. Special education teacher.
• 9. School social worker.
• 10. Central office personnel.
• 11. Section 504 coordinator.
• 12. Other appropriate personnel.

• (d) Parents/guardians shall be invited to participate in all meetings of their child's SST and in the development of interventions for their child.

• (e) Each school shall include the following steps in the SST process:

• 1. Identification of learning and/or behavior problems.
• 2. Assessment, if necessary.
• 3. Educational plan.
• 4. Implementation.
• 5. Follow-up and support.
• 6. Continuous monitoring and evaluation.

• (f) Documentation of SST activities shall include the following:

• 1. Student's name.
• 2. Names of team members.
• 3. Meeting dates.
• 4. Identification of student learning and/or behavior problems.
• 5. Any records of assessment;
• 6. Educational plan and implementation results;
• 7. Follow-up and, as appropriate, continuous evaluation.

(3)  Exceptions to the Use of the SST Process.

• (a) School personnel and parents/guardians may determine that there is a reasonable cause to bypass the SST process for an individual student. Documentation in the student's record shall clearly justify such action, including whether the parent or guardian agreed with such a decision. In cases where immediate referral is sought, the SST shall still determine what interim strategies, interventions, and modifications shall be attempted for the student.
• (b) It is not necessary for students who transfer into the local school system/state operated program with a current Individualized Education Program or Section 504 plan to go through the SST process.

(a) Within the first 60 instructional days of the school year of a contract amendment or intervention contract pursuant to Code Section 20-14-45, turnaround coaches shall coordinate with each school to conduct individual assessments of those students who have been identified as low-performing and shall coordinate with schools to provide the following interventions, as agreed to by the turnaround coach and the school and based on available funding and resources, including the reallocation of existing resources and grant funding, if available, pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 20-14-48:

• (1) Screen all students to diagnose the factors for low performance, including, but not limited to, reading development and comprehension, math proficiencies, physical health, mental health, access to the Internet or other ancillary supports to out-of-school learning activities expected of students and evaluate all available records to address nonacademic barriers to learning in the lowest-performing schools; and
• (2) Provide students who have been identified as low-performing with academic support and enrichment activities, access to programs to promote parental involvement, access to supports for addressing and improving mental and physical health, access to a learning resource center for students and guardians to strengthen academic supports, positive behavioral interventions and supports, and access to expert supports, which may include, but not be limited to, data scientists, psychometric personnel, curriculum specialists, learning theorists, and special educators to help advise the schools on technical learning matters.

(b) Turnaround coaches shall assist local boards of education in identifying integrated student services utilizing the list of resources established by the Chief Turnaround Officer pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-14-43. Local boards of education, in coordination with the turnaround coaches and the local school administration, shall create local collaborations to address personal and community conditions, which shall include the needs, issues, and problems within the communities of such school or schools, such as poverty, lack of economic development, safety, transportation options for parents and students, adult educational opportunities, wellness, and mental health services, and shall, in consultation with the turnaround coach, identify state and community resources that are available or that could be built upon, reallocated, or repurposed to address the issues impacting such school or schools.

Presentation provides guidance on implementing universal mental health screening in schools.