Runninghead: ERMHS

Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS)

Gerardo Sanchez
March 02, 2015
Pedro Olvera, PsyD, LEP

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ERMHS
ERMHS
If it is thought that a student has a psychological/emotional problem that is impacting his
or her ability to access the curriculum or display proper social skills, one can make a referral for
Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS). In the Corona-Norco Unified School
District (CNUSD) a process exists to have a student receive ERMHS. The first step is to have the
school psychologist fill out a Mental Health Referral Packet. One cannot simply make a referral
without having had previous interventions such as a recent IEP with current goals including
social/emotional goals related to referral. In addition, a BIP should be submitted if appropriate
as well as a multidisciplinary report or any other report that is relevant to suspected area of
disability. A pre-referral of documentation of interventions form is also required which provides
a brief description of the interventions and outcomes. The Mental Health Referral Packet that
CNUSD provides has a checklist to ensure that all these areas are covered as well as having the
parents consent for release and exchange of information between the district and county mental
health department. CNUSD has a department that provides mental health services and they have
excellent relationships with the county and sometimes county services may be more appropriate
for students. School psychologists in the CNUSD must follow this process to ensure that all
avenues of intervention strategies have been attempted without effective results prior to the
referral. Once these procedures have been documented the Mental Health Referral Packet should
be submitted to the special education director for the district. One must remember that ERMHS
is a related service just like SLP, OT, APE, etc. So, if there are inadequate pre-referral
interventions (school counseling, BSP's, behavioral consults, etc), CNUSD cannot accept the
referral. If the student is already receiving counseling services elsewhere, the district will most
likely not accept the referral.

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ERMHS