FILE: JGCF
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
REFERRAL FOR ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board recognizes that students with behavioral or emotional challenges may be at risk of their behavior escalating into aggression or disruption, disciplinary actions including suspension or expulsion, or juvenile delinquency. The School Board requires the Superintendent and staff to adopt and maintain rules and regulations for a program which assists school personnel to identify such signs and symptoms of a student with behavioral or emotional challenges including regulations for reporting for the Annual Report identified below.
A specific employee, such as a school counselor shall be designated at each school who shall be responsible for identifying behavioral and mental health support services available in the community, and when appropriate, facilitating a referral of a student to those services for assessment and treatment, including services provided by an I CARE Specialist, a social worker/mental health professional (Licensed Professional Counselor), or provide the parent with a resource list for outside support through the Louisiana Coordinated System of Care and its Medicaid provider network.
After any second suspension that removes a student from the student’s assigned or enrolled school during the same school year, the principal or his/her designee and the designated employee shall consult on whether the student's behavior could be attributable to behavioral or emotional challenges. If it is determined that the behavior is attributable to behavioral or emotional challenges and rises to the level that supportive services could be beneficial, the principal or his/her designee and the designated employee shall schedule a conference with the student's parent or legal guardian to discuss the student's behavior and counseling as well as the referral of the student and family to support services for assessment and treatment.
ANNUAL REPORT
The Superintendent on behalf of the School Board shall report to the Louisiana Department of Education and the House and Senate committees on education the number of students identified as possibly having behavioral or emotional challenges, the number of students for which a conference was scheduled, and the number of students referred for assessment and supportive services. The reports shall be submitted annually on July first and shall reflect data from the previous school year.
New policy: September 19, 2024
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:7, 17:173, 17:416, 17:416.23
Board minutes, 9-19-24
East Baton Rouge Parish School Board