(a) A pupil who is suspected of needing mental health services may be referred to a community mental health service in accordance with Section 7576 of the Government Code.
(b) Prior to referring a pupil to a county mental health agency for services, the local educational agency shall follow the procedures set forth in Section 56320 and conduct an assessment in accordance with Sections 300.301 to 300.306, inclusive, of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. If an individual with exceptional needs is identified as potentially requiring mental health services, the local educational agency shall request the participation of the county mental health agency in the individualized education program. A local educational agency shall provide any specially designed instruction required by an individualized education program, including related services such as counseling services, parent counseling and training, psychological services, or social work services in schools as defined in Section 300.34 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. If the individualized education program of an individual with exceptional needs includes a functional behavioral assessment and behavior intervention plan, in accordance with Section 300.530 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the local educational agency shall provide documentation upon referral to a county mental health agency. Local educational agencies shall provide related services, by qualified personnel, unless the individualized education program team designates a more appropriate agency for the provision of services. Local educational agencies and community mental health services shall work collaboratively to ensure that assessments performed prior to referral are as useful as possible to the community mental health service agency in determining the need for mental health services and the level of services needed.
(c) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2011, and, as of January 1, 2012, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2012, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 43, Sec. 26.)