Pine County Agencies and Schools Procedural Agreement
Pine County
Agencies and Schools
Procedural Agreement
School Districts Pine County Agencies
East Central Health and Human Services
Hinckley/Finlayson County Attorney
Pine City Probation
Willow River Sheriff’s Department
Web site: www.scred.k12.mn.us
Facilitated by the St. Croix River Education District
Kimberly Gibbons, Executive Director
Approved by
Pine County Children’s Cabinet
July 23, 1999
Revised September 2008
This Agreement Approved for the
2008-2009 School Year
by the Following Agency/Department District
Representatives
Jack AlmosSuperintendent
Hinckley-Finlayson Schools / Terryl Arola
Director
Pine County Probation
Jeff Peura
Superintendent
East Central Schools / John Carlson
County Attorney
Pine County
Mark Mansavage
Sheriff
Pine County / Darwin Bostic
Superintendent
Pine City Schools
Lynette Maas
Superintendent
Willow River Schools / Linda Cassman
Director
Pine County
Health and Human Services
PINE COUNTY AGENCIES AND SCHOOLS
PROCEDURAL AGREEMENT
East Central Health and Human Services
Hinckley-Finlayson County Attorney
Pine City Probation
Willow River Sheriff’s Department
Contents Page
Introduction 1
Purposes 1
Understanding 1
Procedures 2
Abuse and Neglect 2
Family Problems Affecting School Performance 4
Children’s Five County Mental Health Case Management 5
Suicide Prevention – Students in Crises 6
Truancy 8
What Counts as Truancy? 9
Steps School Personnel Must Follow 9
Steps Project ATTEND will Take 10
Steps the County Attorney will Take 10
Steps Human Services will Take 11
Records Needed for Proving Truancy 11
Use of Sheriff’s Department 12
Out-of-Home Placement 13
Relations with Other Counties 14
Referrals for Evaluations by Outside Agencies 14
Communication Procedure Regarding Placement of Non-Resident,
Adult-Aged Special Education Students into Pine County Care 14
Notification of Intent to Interview 16
PINE COUNTY AGENCIES AND SCHOOLS
PROCEDURAL AGREEMENT
East Central Health and Human Services
Hinckley-Finlayson County Attorney
Pine City Probation
Willow River Sheriff’s Department
Appendices Page
Manual Recipients B
Truancy Offense Report C
Maltreatment Form (Report to Pine County Health & Human Services) D
Project ATTEND Referral E
Record of Access G
Sample Habitual Truant Letter H
School Attendance Contract I
Sample Attendance Concern Letter J
Sample Continuing Truant Letter K
Sample Withdrawal Form L
Notification of Placement M
Sheriff Interviewing Protocol N
Notice to Destroy Records O
School Incident Report P
Children’s Mental Health Referral Q
Pine County Juvenile Process Flowchart T
Lice Procedures U
Notification to Interview Y
Medical Letter Z
16
Revised September 2008
Pine County Agencies and Schools Procedural Agreement
PINE COUNTY AGENCIES AND SCHOOLS
PROCEDURAL AGREEMENT
Introduction
Schools and county agencies have traditionally worked together to provide for the well being of children. Schools rely on county agencies for assistance in dealing with problem students and problem situations, and county agencies use the schools as a place to contact students, monitor their progress and as a source of referral for problems. The overlapping of clientele, the shared responsibility and the schools’ and agencies’ changing roles require that each of the parties to this Agreement understand each others’ systems, responsibilities and procedures.
Purposes
This agreement between the Pine County Schools, and the Pine County Health and Human Services, Pine County Attorney, Pine County Sheriff’s Department and Pine County probation is initiated in order to:
1. Clarify responsibilities and procedures between the schools and the county agencies.
2. Ensure uniformity in handling individual cases.
3. Enhance inter-organizational cooperation and minimize procedural problems.
4. More effectively solve student problems.
Understanding
1. All parties of the Agreement agree to its intent and content.
2. Each party has the right to request a meeting at a time to review the Procedural Agreement.
3. All parties must agree upon any change.
4. The parties agree to meet and review the Agreement annually.
5. The annual review will be called by the Education District and requires all parties in attendance.
All Minnesota Laws/Statutes can be found on the internet under (MN Statutes).
PROCEDURES
Communication
Communication between the agencies can be described as either case specific or of a general liaison nature.
Case specific – It is agreed that county staff involved with a specific case will communicate directly with the responsible building principal or his/her designees. Others within the school, directly involved in the case, will be contacted as determined by the building principal. The building principal, or designees, will contact the appropriate county staff regarding concerns on an individual case. The probation department will notify school principals when a child is off probation. A “disposition” notification will be sent to the school principal on a delinquent offense (example; assault) Statute 260B.171 sub 3.
Health and Human Services - will report to the school principal when a child is removed from home and/or is no longer attending school in that building.
Pine County Deputies - will fill out “Advisory Forms” on chemical related offenses at the time of arrest.
Communication – The above information will be sent to the student’s school principal who, in turn, will share information with the CLC.
New Law – Transferring students who have demonstrated violent behaviors. School teachers are to be notified.
General liaison – The school social workers will participate in Child Protection Team meetings and other meetings called to solve general communication problems. The school social workers will develop an understanding of county agencies. The school social workers will function as problem solvers to the agencies involved.
Abuse and Neglect Reporting
It is agreed that school personnel will follow the provisions of the Minnesota Maltreatment of Minors statue (MN. Statute. Sec. 626) in handling suspected cases of abuse and neglect.
The following steps will be used by school personnel when concerned about abuse and neglect:
1. Concerned school personnel should discuss concerns about abuse and neglect with their building principal. (This is a local school policy and not mandated by statute).
· Health and Human Services can offer consultation. (320-591-1570)
· School staff should inform the principal but need to make the report to Pine County Health and Human Services. (Refer to Appendix D)
2. If the alleged abuse occurs outside the family unit, the report must be made to the Sheriff’s Department.
3. For matters occurring within the family unit, the building principal or concerned school personnel will contact the Intake Worker at Pine County Health and Human Services (320-591-1570) or the Sheriff’s Department (320-591-1419). The Intake Worker will discuss the concerns with the reporter. School personnel will follow up their concerns in writing and will do so by completing and submitting the Child Abuse Reporting Form. By evaluating the verbal and written information from the school, Health and Human Services will decide if the report will be opened for “Assessment” or “Investigation”.
4. When a completed Report form has been received, one copy will be returned to the school with comments on action taken as appropriate to the disposition of the report. A copy of the report will be sent to the building principal. This report may not be returned for up to 100 days pending resolution of the case. The mandated reporter may, at any time, contact the Intake Worker for further information, which will be provided in accordance with state law. Note: If the case is determined to be maltreatment, the social worker assigned may be able to tell the school the status of the report. Status, meaning, if maltreatment was determined or not, if protective services were needed or not, and/or if the family accepted services. If the Agency determines this information to be detrimental to the child, the Agency may refuse to disclose any or all information.
5. It is understood that the Health and Human Services mandate is to provide child protection services. Not every family problem is appropriate to refer to Health and Human Services. It is agreed that where possible, schools will use their own resources, or will arrange for services for the student and their family. The school will be judicious in making referrals to Health and Human Services. Referral resources available at your school.
6. It is important for all school personnel to know that they are “mandated reporters” and that reporting their concerns to the building principal or other school staff does not meet the requirements of the law. The report must be made directly to an appropriate county agency. A person who is mandated to report and fails to do so is guilty of a misdemeanor. (MN Statute Sec.626.556 subd. 6 ).
7. The schools may provide annual training or notification to their staffs for the purposes of assuring compliance in cooperation with Health and Human Services. The type and amount of this notification or training will be decided by the school. School building principal or designated person in the building will contact Health and Human Services Intake to set date and time for training.
Family Problems Affecting School Performance
In situations where statutory abuse and neglect are not specifically evident but the school is concerned that family functioning may be negatively affecting school performance, school social worker and Student Support Team may provide preventative services and resources . Examples of this might be when a student talks about familial drinking or when parents are not setting appropriate limits or are not reasonably supporting the school.
When school personnel have concerns that a family situation may be negatively affecting performance, the staff member will refer the student to the Student Assistance Team (SAT). The team will determine what type of problem solving approach is to be used. The SAT or similar team will determine if the situation warrants a referral to Health and Human Services.
PINE COUNTY CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT
Children’s Mental Health Case Managers (CMH) provide resources to parents and caregivers with children who are having severe emotional issues. Case management is information gathering, dissemination and advocacy with parents and professionals to obtain the services needed from available resources. Some of the services that are available are:
*Diagnostic Assessments and Psychological Evaluations
*Assist parents and caregivers in understanding the information about the assessments and evaluations
*Complete a practical assessment of the child’s functioning in basic life areas
*Develop a family/Individual/Community Support Plan
*Provide information and support
*Assist the parents and caregivers with getting help from the school and community systems
*Assist with Treatment Options
*Child advocates linking school, home and community
Children’s Mental Health Referral (Appendix Q)
If a Pine County resident wants Children’s Mental Health Case Management, they must apply through Pine County Social Service intake in Sandstone.
George French, Supervisor, Adult, Behavioral, Chemical & Disability Services
Pine County Health and Human Services
130 Oriole Street East, Suite 1
Sandstone, MN 55072
Telephone 320-216-4106; fax 320-216-4101
Cases will only be opened when it comes to Intake in Sandstone even if you have consulted with a case manager. (Children’s Mental Health Referral Form, Appendix Q). This form is developed to take referrals from schools, clinics, social workers and other CMH professionals. When getting a referral from any professional, it will be expected that that professional will have prior permission to make a referral and that the parent will have agreed to the service and desires the service. Case Management is not outreach to convince people to accept service.
SUICIDE PREVENTION / STUDENTS IN CRISIS
Verbal or written threats of suicide should be taken seriously. Each school should be discussing with EVERY staff member the appropriate steps to follow when/if they are concerned that a student may take his or her life.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
320-396-2015 ...... REGION’S 7-E CHILDREN’S CRISIS SERVICES
1-320-396-3333...... BRAHAM FIVE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH
911 ...... AMBULANCE AND/OR SHERIFF
763-689-7887 ...... CAMBRIDGE MEDICAL CENTER (Adult only)
218-723-0099 ...... MILLER-DWAN MEDICAL CENTER (MH CRISIS LINE)
If the situation arises: *School staff should consult with their school district’s policy
A. The appropriate school official should be contacted. Example: if your school has an on site School Psychologist or School Social Worker, he/she should be contacted.
B. Contact:
REGION 7-E CHILDREN’S CRISIS SERVICES
Who: Children and adolescents ages 0-17 (service to Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Pine Counties.
Services Offered:
*Crisis Stabilization and Hospital Diversion
*Mobile, Rapid Crisis Assessment
*Risk Assessments: Suicidal Ideation, Homicidal Ideation
*Assessment types: Fast Track, Scheduled, and Hospital discharge
*Clinical review with a licensed mental health professional
*Stabilization and intervention Services
*Telephone and/or face-to-face contact for support ad ongoing risk monitoring
*Treatment planning
*Crisis de-escalation
*Short Term (up to 2 weeks)
*Professional and Practitioner consultation with other providers
REFERRAL PROCESS TO CHILDREN’S CRISIS SERVICES
1. CALL crisis services: 320-396-2015 or 888-396-2015
2. Inform staff that you want to make a referral.
3. Our staff will gather specific information from you.
4. Crisis Services’ staff will then call the client to assess the situation and schedule a face-to-face assessment with a Crisis Assessor if deemed necessary.
5. When the crisis assessment has been completed, crisis services will call you and update you on the outcome of the assessment
Mobile Crisis Team Hours: Sunday – Saturday & Holidays 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
***People who are actively suicidal, homicidal, in current danger, or in need of medical detox should be referred to your county agencies offering such services.
***Children referred for crisis services MUST have to have parent permission, however strongly encouraged.
C. A PARENT, LEGAL GUARDIAN OR EMERGENCY CONTACT PERSON should be notified and requested at the school.
D. If advised by FIVE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER TO ADMIT STUDENT, the most appropriate person to transport the student is his/her PARENT, LEGAL GUARDIAN OR EMERGENCY CONTACT PERSON.
E. Call 911/”Sheriff’s Dept” when it becomes an immediate danger to self and others. The call needs to be clear that this is an emergency.
TRUANCY
Legislation makes it important to note the distinction between “Continuing Truant” and “Habitual Truant”.
Minnesota Law (260A.02 sub.3) states that a “Continuing Truant” means that a child who is subject to the compulsory instruction requirements is absent from instruction in a school without valid excuse within a single school year. Nothing in this section shall prevent a school district from notifying a truant child’s parent or legal guardian of the child’s truancy or otherwise addressing a child’s attendance prior to the child becoming a continuing truant.