Mental Health Services in Colorado IEPs
What mental health services are available through an IEP in Colorado?
Colorado provides mental health-related services to students with disabilities through the special education system primarily as 'related services' under 1 CCR 301-8 (ECEA Rules), §2.38, which includes psychological services, counseling services, and social work services in schools. For students identified with a Serious Emotional Disability (SED) — Colorado's equivalent of the federal Emotional Disturbance (ED) category — the IEP team must address the student's emotional and behavioral needs through IEP goals, services, and behavioral supports. Colorado's School Behavioral Health Collaborative, created under C.R.S. §22-19-104, promotes coordination between school-based and community mental health services, but such coordination is not explicitly mandated in the ECEA Rules. Colorado's Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) within the Department of Human Services provides community mental health services, and school-community coordination is encouraged through state guidance. The IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports when behavior impedes learning (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)), and may include school-based counseling, psychological services, or social work as related services when required for the child to benefit from special education.
What Colorado Requires
Psychological services, counseling services, and social work services in schools are enumerated related services that must be provided when required for the child to benefit from special education (1 CCR 301-8, §2.38).
For students with a Serious Emotional Disability (SED), the IEP must address behavioral and emotional needs through goals, services, and positive behavioral supports (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i); 1 CCR 301-8, §2.09(3)).
Parent counseling and training is an enumerated related service that may be included in the IEP when needed to assist parents in understanding their child's needs and supporting special education goals (1 CCR 301-8, §2.38).
Colorado's School Behavioral Health Collaborative (C.R.S. §22-19-104) promotes school-community mental health coordination; schools may partner with community providers to deliver mental health services aligned with IEP goals.
The IEP team must consider whether the child needs behavioral interventions and supports when behavior impedes learning (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)).
Key Timelines
Mental health related services must be provided beginning on the start date specified in the IEP (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
Mental health service provisions must be reviewed at the annual IEP meeting, at minimum every 365 days (1 CCR 301-8, §4.03(3)).