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BULLETIN NO. Z-67 Student Health and
January 29, 2001 Human Services
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Deputy Superintendent, Instruction
DISTRIBUTION: All Schools and Offices ROUTING
Local Superintendents
SUBJECT: BULLETIN NO. Z-67 Local District School
REFERRAL PROCEDURES Support Directors
FOR STUDENT AND FAMILY Local District Student
ASSISTANCE CENTERS (SFAC) Health & Human Services
Principals
DATE: January 29, 2001
DIVISION: Student Health and Human Services
APPROVED: MARIA REZA, Assistant Superintendent
For assistance, contact John Di Cecco, Director, Integrated Health Partnerships, at (213)
763-8355; or Michael Shannon, Coordinator, Student/Family Assistance Centers, at (213)
763-8312.
I. BACKGROUND
In November 1998, the Board and Superintendent directed staff to create a task force charged with the analysis of District behavior intervention practices. The task force was to determine ways to provide prevention and intervention services for students before their behavior escalated to the point where an expulsion recommendation became necessary. On November 2, 1999, the Board accepted the comprehensive District Behavior Intervention Task Force’s report of findings and recommendations and asked staff to develop plans for its implementation. Subsequently, the first phase of the implementation of the task force report, and its accompanying budget requirements, was presented to the Board and adopted by it on March 28, 2000. As part of this adoption, the District implemented two new programs: The Early Behavior Intervention Program and the Student/Family Assistance Centers (SFACs). This bulletin will explain policies and procedures related to the Student/ Family Assistance Centers.
II. PURPOSE
The primary purpose of this bulletin is to provide school site administrators with the information needed to effectively access the support of the Student/Family Assistance Centers at the local school level. It describes the following items: Background, Program Description and Referral Procedures. Three Student/Family Assistance Centers (SFACs) will open this academic year. According to the task force report, additional centers will be phased in at every local district over the next two years. During the 2000-2001 academic year, elementary and middle schools ranked with a current Academic Performance Index in the first decile (API 1) will be the top priority for services from the initial SFACs.
The purpose of the SFAC, one component of the District’s Comprehensive Support Program, is to provide short-term supplementary, strength-based assessments, intensive intervention, and behavior stabilization services for schools, families, and targeted high-risk students. All services of the SFAC aim to reduce the numbers of students who are at risk of retention, suspension and/or expulsion from the District’s lowest-performing schools. The SFAC partners with families, school staff, and community to enable the student to succeed educationally. This bulletin does not alter the usual procedures related to special education referrals and services. Please see Bulletin No. 23 (Rev.), “Referral, Assessment, Eligibility and Services for Special Education,” Division of Special Education, August 18, 1992 and Bulletin No. 23A, “Required Special Education Compliance Issues/Activities,” Division of Special Education, September 29, 1995 regarding special education policies and procedures.
III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Student and Family Assistance Centers will be staffed by multidisciplinary teams of Health and Human Services personnel who will work with individual high-need students, their families, and school representatives to provide students with supplemental, strength-based evaluations and intensive interventions. The evaluation will include a comprehensive review of intra- and interdistrict records and an ecological evaluation by the members of the multidisciplinary team. The team will then develop a plan and intervene to meet the students’ needs, focusing on the integration of school, community, and family-based support. The SFACs will also support the school’s ongoing efforts and coordinate with community agencies to obtain other resources for students and families.
Primary activities to support these students include:
· consultation with school and District staff, parents, and community agencies;
· multidisciplinary, strength-based evaluations;
· development of intervention plans to support students;
· intensive short-term intervention based on identified assets and needs;
connection of the student and family with ongoing support of both within the District and the community; and
· development of a case management plan for organization of ongoing support.
Each SFAC team will include a full-time Registered Nurse, a Psychiatric Social Worker, a Licensed Psychologist, a Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor, a Secondary Counselor, a paraprofessional Social Services Coordinator, and a secretary. Each team will work together and will have medical, psychiatric, and other specialty consultation available under contract, as required.
IV. PROCEDURES FOR REFERRAL
School teams, that have documented efforts to improve a student’s behavior and seek additional strategies and services to enhance success of these efforts, may make a referral to the SFAC. In making a referral, schools will identify a lead contact (e.g., School
Administrators or designee, Early Behavior Intervention Counselor, School Nurse, etc.) who will facilitate the referral and assistance process on that site.
REFERRAL PROCESS
1. The Early Behavior Intervention Program Counselor, Nurse or other staff member designated by the principal will complete the SFAC Request for Services (Attachment A).
2. A signed parent consent form will accompany the request for services (Attachment B).
3. Lead staff will forward the Request for Services to the SFAC with required documents. (Attachment C)
4. SFAC will screen referrals and consult with the referring person concerning the request.
5. During all phases of the intervention, open communication and collaboration will be maintained between the Center and the school.
6. Every referral will receive a written response from the SFAC.
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