Changes in Mental Health and Disabilities

1. Changes in Mental Health and Disabilities Fall 2010

2. General Reminders • Please do not start screening children until they have had 2 weeks to adjust to being in Head Start/ Early Head Start • Screenings are to be completed in BLUE INK only! • Completed and partially completed screening forms and results are considered confidential and should be kept locked up when not being used • Screening results and other information needs to be entered into Child Plus before filed. If it’s not in Child Plus, it did not happen!!!

3. General Reminders • We have updated ALL of our forms and procedures. Please throw away ALL old forms and procedures! • You can tell the difference by the logo and the updated date and/or PC approval date. • All new forms are on the website • Remember to protect the confidentiality of the families we serve • Do NOT talk to parents about other children • Be careful in your “public” discussions, whether in the hallway with parents/volunteers present or away from the center at a restaurant or store

4. Mental Health Reminders • ASQ:SE (Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional) • Needs to be completed face-to-face with the parent/guardian • Parent may not understand questions • Gives you insight into how to work with the child in the classroom • DO NOT SEND HOME WITH PARENT!!!

5. Behavior Tracking Form This is what was happening BEFORE the problem behavior occurred. This is what the child did/what happened immediately AFTER the incident and BEFORE the teacher tried to discipline the child. This is what the teacher did to help teach the child more appropriate behaviors. NEW!

6. Performance Standard § 1304.24 (a) (1) (2) (a) Mental health services. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies must work collaboratively with parents (see 45 CFR 1304.40(f) for issues related to parent education) by: (i) Soliciting parental information, observations, and concerns about their child's mental health; (ii) Sharing staff observations of their child and discussing and anticipating with parents their child's behavior and development, including separation and attachment issues; (iii) Discussing and identifying with parents appropriate responses to their child's behaviors;

7. Performance Standard § 1304.24 (a) (1) (2) continued (iv) Discussing how to strengthen nurturing, supportive environments and relationships in the home and at the program; (v) Helping parents to better understand mental health issues; and (vi) Supporting parents' participation in any needed mental health interventions. (2) Grantee and delegate agencies must secure the services of mental health professionals on a schedule of sufficient frequency to enable the timely and effective identification of and intervention in family and staff concerns about a child's mental health;

8. Consent Form

9. Consent Form

10. Consent Form • Added line “This authorization is good for 12 months from the date signed or at such time that the child is no longer enrolled in the program.“

11. Consent Form • MUST be completely filled out BEFORE the parent signs. The parent needs to know what s/he is signing for legal and ethical reasons. • Write in the date • Check either “Release Information” or “Request Information” • “Release”- if you are getting permission to send something to another agency (i.e., submitting educational records to elementary school child is transitioning to) • “Request”- if you are getting permission to receive something from another agency( i.e., trying to obtain an ARD/ IEP from the school district)

12. Consent Form 3.Write in child’s name and DOB 4. “Name and position of staff person” refers to the SPCAA employee that is requesting/ releasing the info and “Name of Agency” would be SPCAA Head Start/ Early Head Start 5. Write the address that records need to be sent if requesting documents 6. “Person/Agency to whom request made- Person/Agency making request” is where you put the info on the other agency with whom you are trying to communicate 7. Write in the other agency’s address

13. Consent Form 8. Mark the type of records you are trying to release or obtain. 9. Fill in either your information or the information of the SPCAA person who asked you to obtain the consent in the line for “SPCAA Staff Person” and “Telephone Number” 10. Explain the purpose of the form to the parent. 11. Ask the parent to read the two statements above the signature lines and to either mark “yes” or “no” for each statement. 12. Ask the parent to sign and date on the appropriate line.

14. Inter-Intra Agency Referral Form

15. Inter-Intra Agency Referral Form

16. Referral Performance Standard § 1308.6 Assessment of children (e)(1)(3) (e) The disabilities coordinator must arrange for further, formal, evaluation of a child who has been identified as possibly having a disability, the third step. (1) The disabilities coordinator must refer a child to the LEA for evaluation as soon as the need is evident, starting as early as the child's third birthday. (3) Parental consent in writing must be obtained before a child can have an initial evaluation to determine whether the child has a disability.

17. Disability Changes/ Reminders • We must have 10% of our enrollment be children with disabilities…. We can’t do that without your help! • We don’t know if there are potential concerns about a child unless someone tells us • If you have concerns, share them with the parent to find out if the child has the same problems at home • If the parent shares your concerns, fill out an Inter-Intra Agency Referral Form and send it to MH/Disabilities

18. Disability Individualizations • Remember you need to implement and document one additional individualization per IEP that a child has • You will also need to do one additional individualization for those children in RTI (Response to Intervention) services

19. Website Spcaa.org

20. Questions? Jennifer Crookham (806) 891-2156 Blanca Herron (806) 893-5827 Leigh Wells (806) 893-3167