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Special Education Local Plan Area
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Charter SELPA

Special Education Local Plan Area

Mental Health & Behavior

Creating a positive school environment that promotes student wellness is essential for ensuring student success. Recognizing the profound impact of well-being and behavior on student outcomes, the Charter SELPA is committed to equipping educators with the necessary tools and resources to support a variety of student needs. Resources range from fostering a culture of wellness within your school community to more individualized topics such as Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS), behavior support, discipline, and guidance on alternative placements for students requiring specialized interventions. By purposefully prioritizing these areas, we enhance the likelihood that students have access to vital tools needed to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.  

Addressing Pupil Behavioral Health Concerns

 
Senate Bill 153 led the CDE to initiate the writing of these protocols. The guidance is a resource for our school communities to support the behavioral wellness of our students.
 
Senate Bill 153 led the CDE to initiate the writing of this policy. The guidance is a resource for our school communities to support the behavioral wellness of our students.
 
Senate Bill 153: Youth Behavioral Health Training Requirements & Deadlines
SB 153 requires that by July 1, 2029, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) certify to the California Department of Education that 100 % of certificated staff and 40 % of classified staff with direct pupil contact have completed youth behavioral health training at least once in accordance with Education Code § 49428.2. These trainings are intended to build school staff capacity to recognize and respond to behavioral health concerns, make appropriate referrals, and support student wellness and safety.
 
Possible Training Options for Staff:

Alternative Placements

 
Alternative placements provide educational options beyond traditional classroom settings for students with disabilities who may require additional support. These specialized learning environments are designed to address individual needs, foster engagement, and promote social and emotional development. This section offers resources to help Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams navigate alternative placements, including guidance on identifying appropriate options, best practices for transition, and strategies for maximizing the benefits of these unique educational settings.
 
 
This video details considerations from Attorney Heather Edwards on the use of  IAES.  
 
This handbook provides procedural guidance and considerations to IEP teams when considering a Non-Public School (NPS) and/or Residential Treatment Center (RTC) setting as the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for a student.
 
Non-Public School (NPS), Residential Treatment Center (RTC), and Site-Based Therapeutic (SBT) Funding Guidelines
Please refer to the Business Services > Reimbursement Pools page for funding guidelines. 
 
This section of the Charter SELPA procedural guide provides a summary of considerations and guidance for contracting with NPS/As.
 
 
 
 
 

Behavior Support

 
Understanding and supporting student behavior is key to creating positive educational environments where all learners can thrive. Recognizing the complexities and nuances of behavior support, the Charter SELPA offers an array of resources focused on behavior support. 
 
The Strategic Behavioral Intervention Series is composed of eight online modules, each focusing on a specific strategic behavioral intervention in order to support staff in successful implementation.
 
Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) 
A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is a proactive plan to address a targeted behavior impeding the learning of the student or others. To learn more about a BIP, visit the Behavior Intervention Plan Section (Section 34) of the Procedural Guide. 
 
Behavior Training Requirements and Verification
More information coming soon!
 

External Resources

 
Attendance Works collaborates with schools, districts, states, communities and organizations to ensure that everyone recognizes that chronic absence is a serious issue that can be addressed using a positive, problem-solving approach grounded in an understanding of educational inequities. This website includes information and resources to decrease absenteeism.
 
The Crisis Prevention Institute’s (CPI) Enhanced Nonviolent Crisis Intervention certification program is designed to provide participants with the knowledge to prevent or defuse a behavioral escalation. To register for a CPI certification course. CPI defines "base of employment" as the organization where a Certified Instructor is employed. This policy exists to ensure that Certified Instructors only provide training to staff within their own organization.
For the El Dorado County Charter Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), this means that:
  • All member LEAs of the Charter SELPA are considered part of the SELPA’s base of employment. Therefore, CPI Certified Instructors employed by the Charter SELPA may train staff from any of its member LEAs.
However, it is important to note:
If an LEA is not a member of the El Dorado Charter SELPA, it is not considered part of the SELPA’s base of employment, and thus cannot receive CPI training from the Charter SELPA.
 
Positive Environments, Network of Trainers (PENT) is a California Positive Behavior Initiative designed to provide information and resources for educators striving to achieve high educational outcomes using proactive positive strategies. PENT disseminates information and resources in current best practice, evidence-based research in the area of supporting positive behavior.

Discipline

 
Students with disabilities are entitled to specific rights and protections related to disciplinary actions within the school setting. Understanding these rights ensures fair and equitable treatment for all students. This section aims to provide comprehensive guidance on discipline for students with disabilities, alongside important resources addressing bullying and harassment. By providing educators and school staff with the knowledge and tools to navigate these sensitive topics, we can foster a safe and supportive environment that upholds the dignity and rights of every student.
 
Suspension, Expulsion, and Manifestation Determination 
Students may be subject to suspension or recommended for expulsion after demonstrating behaviors consistent with California Education Code (EDC) sections 48900 and 48915. The decision to implement a suspension or recommend expulsion is at the discretion of the Local Education Agency (LEA)/district administration.
 
 
  • Following the Rules: Discipline for Students with Disabilities: Students that qualify for special education services have specific rights and protections regarding discipline within the school setting. This webmodule supports what appropriate measures can be taken, as well as exploring the manifestation determination process for when a student with an IEP is approaching or has received ten days of suspension within the school year.
 
 

Educationally Related Mental Health Services

 
Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) provide mental health support for students in California who qualify for special education. These services are designed to address social, emotional, and behavioral challenges that may impact a student’s ability to fully benefit from their educational program.
 
The ERMHS Program Guidelines are intended to support a broad audience of educators in understanding the foundational elements of ERMHS, from referral to provision of services. 
 
This FAQ is intended to supplement the ERMHS Program Guidelines, which include additional guidance on Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2), Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), types of tiered supports, assessment, services and placement. For more information on these topics, prefer refer to the ERMHS Program Guidelines which can be located on the Charter SELPA website.

Student Wellness


This section offers a variety of resources designed to support student wellness, including information on our annual Wellness Summit and aligned podcast series, as well as guidance on critical topics such as social-emotional learning, and suicide and self-harm prevention and response. These tools aim to empower educators and students alike, fostering a culture of support and resilience within the school community.



Resilient Roots


Resilient Roots School Wellness Summit

Resilient Roots is an annual event dedicated to fostering a culture of wellness within the educational community. This summit serves as a dynamic platform to explore strategies and practices that promote mental wellness and resilience. By focusing on equipping educators with actionable tools and insights, Resilient Roots empowers participants to bring impactful wellness initiatives back to their campuses, creating environments where students and staff can thrive.


Resilient Roots Podcast

Resilient Roots envisions a future where every school community thrives with holistic wellness. By amplifying the voices of educators, experts, and change-makers, our monthly podcast sheds light on crucial topics such as teacher wellness and retention, combating chronic absenteeism, and fostering social-emotional learning.

For access to Resilient Root Podcast episodes, click here.



Suicide and Self-Harm


EDCOE Suicide Prevention and Response Page

There are a variety of resources available to educators, whether in early stages of suicide prevention policy planning or responding to immediate needs. A number of these resources are included on this page and are organized for easy navigation and access. Please note this is not an exhaustive list and changes may occur as new resources become available.


EDCOE Suicide Prevention and Response Toolkit

The Suicide & Self-Harm: Prevention and Response Toolkit for Educators is a compilation of useful handouts, lists, tools, and resources for school personnel to utilize in preventing and/or responding to self-harm or suicide.



Social-Emotional Learning


Regional Technical Assistance and Coaching (RTAC) workshop series

The El Dorado County Charter SELPA, in partnership with the Chapman University, Thompson Policy Institute on Disability, participated in an initiative to advance Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), and Person-Driven Planning (PDP) for charter school educators. This effort delivered high-quality workshops to promote equitable access to social-emotional and academic learning for all students, including those with disabilities. Click the links below to view these training sessions.


Peer-to-Peer Support

Peer-to-Peer Support describes an evidence-based practice where students engage with each other to support tiered social-emotional and mental wellness intervention programs.



External Resources


Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

CASEL is a trusted resource for advancing social and emotional learning (SEL). Their website offers research, frameworks, implementation tools, and best practices to support students’ social, emotional, and academic development.