AR 5141.5 — Mental Health

Mental Health and Referral Protocols

I. Purpose

The District is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that promotes students’ academic success, social-emotional development, and overall well-being. This Administrative Regulation establishes a clear and consistent process for the identification, referral, assessment, and support of students experiencing behavioral and/or mental health concerns through a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), aligned with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

This regulation is intended to ensure early intervention, equitable access to services, family engagement, and compliance with applicable state and federal laws.

II. Scope

This regulation applies to all students enrolled in the District, including students in general education, special education, and those receiving services under Section 504. This regulation applies to all District employees and contractors working with students.

In order to ensure that all school employees act only within the authorization or scope of their credential or license, (EC Section 49428.2(b)(5)), the superintendent or designee shall:

Provide training and guidance to staff clarifying their roles in the referral process and the limits of their credential or license

Direct employees to refer pupils to appropriately credentialed or licensed professionals when behavioral health concerns are identified

Maintain referral protocols that specify which staff positions are authorized to act at each stage of the referral process

Review job descriptions and assignments to confirm they align with credentialing and licensing requirements

Inform staff clearly that only licensed or credentialed professionals are permitted to diagnose or treat behavioral health conditions

Consistent with EC sections 49428.1(b)(8) and 49428.2(b)(5), nothing in this policy shall be construed as authorizing or encouraging school employees to diagnose or treat youth behavioral health disorders unless they are specifically licensed and employed to do so.

III. Identification and Referral Procedures

A. Referral Criteria

A referral may be initiated when one or more of the following are present:

Persistent behavioral concerns that interfere with learning or safety

Social-emotional concerns affecting academic engagement or attendance

Escalation of behaviors despite implementation of Tier 1 supports

Student self-referral or parent/guardian concern

Patterns identified through data review (attendance, behavior, academics)

Referrals shall not be used as a substitute for discipline, special education identification, or emergency services.

B. Triage and Review

Non-Crisis Referrals

Referrals may be initiated by teachers, administrators, school staff, parents/guardians, or students.

Referrals shall be submitted using District-approved documentation and include relevant data and prior interventions.

The site MTSS/PBIS or Student Support Team shall review referrals within a reasonable timeframe.

The team shall determine appropriate supports, which may include Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions.

Crisis Referrals

When a student presents an imminent risk of harm, staff shall follow the District’s crisis response procedures immediately.

1a. Site administration and appropriate mental health personnel shall be notified without delay.

1b. Parent/guardian notification shall occur without delay, or as soon as practicable.

Crisis situations shall be documented in accordance with District procedures.

In crisis situations, immediate safety response shall take precedence over documentation or team review.

The designated mental/behavioral health professional or site administrator shall initiate a review of incoming referrals.

Urgent/Crisis Flags: Must be reviewed immediately upon receipt or within the same school day.

Routine Referrals: Triage review shall be initiated within two (2) school days.

Assignment of Interventions (MTSS Framework)

In alignment with the District’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), the designated mental/behavioral health professional or site administrator shall assess the presenting concerns and triage the referral into one of the following levels of intervention:

Tier 1: Implementation of universal Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and classroom-based strategies.

Tier 2: Assignment to site-based targeted interventions, such as short-term individual counseling or psychoeducational groups.

Tier 3: Assignment to time-limited individual counseling interventions (typically 6-8 sessions), or a possible referral to a community counseling agency.

IV. Parent/Guardian Notification and Consent

The District recognizes and supports parental notification and approval of all mental health services. However, per Family Code 6924, a student 12 years of age or older may consent to mental health treatment or counseling if the student, in the opinion of the attending mental health professional, is mature enough to participate intelligently in the services. Additionally, the student's parent/guardian shall consent to the student's treatment, unless the mental health professional determines, after consulting with the student, that the involvement of the parent/guardian would be inappropriate. (Family Code 6924) The Redlands Unified School District defines inappropriate as the outcome of the professional's assessment indicating that the notification may cause significant psychological, emotional, and/or physical danger to the student.

Collaborative Approach: The attending professional shall collaborate with the student to make all reasonable attempts to involve the parent/guardian, unless the professional determines that such involvement would be inappropriate or detrimental to the student’s well-being, including situations where there is reasonable suspicion that the parent/guardian is the source of physical or sexual abuse, neglect, or severe emotional trauma. This determination relies on the treating professional's clinical judgment regarding the specific circumstances of the minor, and the examples above are not exhaustive.

Notification: If the student consents to services without parent/guardian notification, the licensed mental health professional shall document the clinical justification for this decision. For all other cases, parents/guardians shall be notified, or all reasonable attempts will be made to notify, of the referral.

Mandated Reporting Obligations: Nothing in this regulation or guidance shall be construed to waive, modify, or remove the professional’s statutory responsibility to adhere to all mandated reporting laws. If the determination that parental involvement is inappropriate is based on a reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect, the professional remains legally obligated to file a report with Child Protective Services or law enforcement in accordance with the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (Penal Code § 11164 et seq.). The exclusion of a parent from treatment discussions does not absolve the staff member of the duty to report the safety concern to the appropriate authorities.

V. Protocols for High-Risk Pupil Groups

The Governing Board recognizes the importance of ensuring equitable access to behavioral and mental health supports for all students. Therefore, the Superintendent or designee shall develop specific referral protocols to address the needs of high-risk pupil groups, which include but are not limited to the following:

Pupils with disabilities, mental illness, or substance use disorders

Foster youth and youth placed in out-of-home settings

Homeless youth

Pupils experiencing bereavement or loss of a close family member or friend

Pupils for whom there is a concern due to behavioral health disorders, including common psychiatric conditions and substance use disorders such as opioid and alcohol abuse

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning pupils

The District staff who oversees the mental and behavioral health needs of students is responsible for coordinating implementation of these group-specific referral protocols, in collaboration with the Director of Special Education (IEP/504), Foster Youth Liaison, Homeless Liaison, and Schoolsite administrators.

District leadership may also identify additional pupil groups at local discretion, such as English learners or recently immigrated students, if local data or partner input show increased behavioral health risks.

The Superintendent or designee shall consult and collaborate with school-employed mental health professionals, county mental health agencies, and community organizations to strengthen internal and local mental health services. The District shall maintain Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with external agencies to ensure clear referral pathways and shared crisis protocols.

VI. Confidentiality and Records

All student records related to behavior and mental health referrals shall be maintained in accordance with FERPA and District record retention policies. Access to records shall be limited to authorized personnel with a legitimate educational interest. Information sharing with outside agencies occurs only pursuant to consent or MOU.

VII. Monitoring and Follow-Up

To ensure successful linkage to services:

Timeline: The assigned mental health professional shall attempt to verify linkage to services within ten (10) school days of the initial referral disposition.

Documentation: Staff shall document the outcome of the referral (e.g., "Linked to services," "Parent declined," "Waitlisted").

District Oversight: The District Licensed Mental Health Provider or designee shall conduct periodic reviews of referral data to monitor compliance with follow-up timelines.

VIII. Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

The Superintendent or designee may conduct an annual needs assessment to:

Identify behavioral health trends

Review available resources

Detect service gaps within the school community

Each school site, and district level team, routinely review referral volume, response times, and outcomes on a quarterly basis and shall submit findings to the Superintendent or designee for continuous improvement.

The Superintendent or designee may conduct an annual evaluation of referral protocols that includes:

Data collection and analysis

Input from staff, families, and students who have been involved in the referral process, and community partners

Targeted improvements based on results

Evaluation monitors outcomes such as:

Median time to first contact

Percentage of follow-ups completed within ten school days

Referral closure rates

Results for the pupil groups identified in EC Section 49428.2(b)(3)

If an evaluation is completed, a summary of results shall be reported to the Governing Board annually to support transparency and continuous improvement. This assessment may also be utilized to inform the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and school safety plans.

This regulation does not create an entitlement to specific services and does not replace existing supports.