Mental Health Services in Oklahoma IEPs
What mental health services are available through an IEP in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma provides mental health-related services through the IEP as related services when needed to allow the student to benefit from special education. Counseling services (provided by qualified social worker, psychologist, school counselor, or licensed professional counselor) are an available related service. The IEP team must consider behavior supports (FBA, BIP, PBIS) when behavior impedes learning. For students with Emotional Disturbance as their disability category, the IEP team must address the student's behavioral and mental health needs through appropriate goals, services, and supports. Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) may be a transition partner for students with mental health needs.
What Oklahoma Requires
Counseling Services as a related service: includes services provided by a qualified social worker, psychologist, school counselor, licensed professional counselor, or other qualified personnel (34 C.F.R. § 300.34(c)(2); Oklahoma Special Education Policies & Procedures 2024, Ch. 6, Sec. 3.G.ii)
IEP team must consider whether a student's behavior impedes their learning or the learning of others and, if so, include positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies to address the behavior (34 C.F.R. § 300.324(a)(2); Oklahoma Special Education Policies & Procedures 2024, Ch. 6, Sec. 3.B)
For students with Emotional Disturbance, the IEP must address the full range of needs including behavioral, social-emotional, and academic; counseling as a related service may be included when IEP team determines it is necessary to benefit from special education (Oklahoma Special Education Policies & Procedures 2024, Ch. 6)
Licensed Professional Counselor or other Mental Health provider may be invited as a transition agency representative with prior parent/adult student written consent for students with mental health needs (Oklahoma Special Education Policies & Procedures 2024, Ch. 6, Sec. 3.M.v.2)
Occupational Therapy services may be indicated in conjunction with a mental health diagnosis when intervention is needed to improve fine motor skills, sensory regulation, or activities of daily living (Oklahoma Special Education Policies & Procedures 2024, Ch. 6, Sec. 3.G.ii)