Psychology, Counseling and Mental Health Services

Mental Health Treatment - Refers to the process of determining the need, nature, frequency, and duration of treatment; deciding the needed coordination with others involved, and documenting these activities.

Screening - Mental Health screen has four primary components:

• Child study team meetings - a meeting of staff who has knowledge of a referred student to discuss the referral problem for the purpose of determining the next step in the screening process.
• Observations - a period of time spent observing a referred student in a natural setting for the purpose of determining student's academic and/or interpersonal behaviors.
• Group testing - Psychologist's or psychiatrist's participation in the administering of tests for the purpose of obtaining specific information about a student or group of students.
• Records review - Information gathering on a designated student by way of examining academic, health, behavioral and any other related records for the purpose of providing data relevant to concerns.
• Evaluation - includes a "Psycho-education Assessment".  The assessment includes psychological and/or education testing, typically for intellectual, personality, and/or education evaluation of referred student, for diagnostic purposes resulting in the generation of a report.  The psychological component of the assessment evaluates the intellectual, academic, perceptual motor skills, social and emotional adjustment, and readiness for learning.

Mental Health Treatment Service - The following mental health treatment services include the following therapeutic and related services:

• Individual therapy - This service consists of supportive, interpretive, insight oriented and occasionally directive interventions.
• Group therapy - This service is designed to enhance socialization skills, peer interaction, consensual validation, expression of feelings, etc.
• Family therapy - This service consists of sessions with one or more family members, for purposes of effecting changes within the family structure, communication, clarification of roles, etc.
• Case consultation - (Reimbursable for the time of the mental health professional only and must pertain specifically and completely to an individual student.).  The role of the consultation is monitoring, supervision, teaching and training of professionals, paraprofessionals, parents and student in the education environment, home and/or community environment.  Case consultation includes:
  • Providing general information about a specific student's handicapping condition.  Teaching special coping and intervention techniques necessary for the specific student's interpersonal skills.  Recommendations for enhancing a specific student's performance in educational environments

Billable Mental Health Treatment Service Procedures - The following services are included in the mental health treatment services category and should be used to document service provision for the purpose of reimbursement:

• Mental health treatment assessment
• Individual therapy -one therapist to one student
• Group therapy - one therapist to six or fewer students
• Family therapy - one therapist to one or more family members of the student's family
• Individual co-treatment therapy - two therapists to one student
• Group co-treatment therapy - two therapists to six or fewer students
• Family co-treatment therapy - two therapists to one or more family members of the student's family 
• Case Consultation

Treatment Plan Requirements - An assessment and treatment plan (IEP) are required annually.  The treatment plan must be based on an evaluation by a mental health professional.  Further, the treatment plan must indicate goals/objectives and level of service (type and frequency of service) and be signed by the provider. A progress note is required approximately every six months or at a reasonable interval to document the student's progress and the continuing need for service. Quarterly progress reporting in IEP Plus is acceptable when dated and signed by the provider.

• Indicate where the student is in relation to the treatment plan goals
• Indicate if the treatment plan requires changes in the goals and/or objectives and
• Indicate if the type or frequency of the treatment requires modification.
• Each occurrence of the student's service, including the date (three-point), type, length, and scope of professional services provided.
• Any significant contacts made in relation to the student.  
• All records must contain the full signature of the professional providing the services and/or supervision 

Authorized Personnel

• Mental Health treatment assessment when provided by the State of Delaware licensed psychiatrist or psychologist, or a Delaware certified school psychologist
• Mental Health treatment services when provided by a State of Delaware licensed psychiatrist or psychologist, or a Delaware certified school psychologist, a State of Delaware licensed registered nurse or practical nurse, a State of Delaware licensed professional counselor of mental health, a State of Delaware licensed clinical social worker or a masters of social work under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker.