Developing IEPs to Secure School-Based Mental Health Supports for Students With Disabilities

Many students with disabilities require school-based mental health services (SBMHS) to secure a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) guaranteed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). SBMHS include supports provided through specially designed instruction (SDI) and/or related services interventions (RSI) in the school setting. Despite an evident and increasing need, the provision of SBMHS is inadequate and insufficient (Becker et al., 2019). The “historical highs and rising” rates of mental health needs in children and adolescents (Duong et al., 2021, p. 420) have been intensified by the COVID context (Theis et al., 2021). The lack of SBMHS is particularly pronounced and concerning for students with disabilities (Kern et al., 2017). One reason for the failure to provide needed SBMHS is individualized education program (IEP) teams do not recognize the availability and permissibility of including these supports in IEPs for students with disabilities (Etscheidt, 2002; Skaar et al., 2020) and are uncertain of how to write a legally defensible IEP that includes SBMHS. The purpose in this themed issue is to provide guidance to IEP teams for securing needed SBMHS for students with disabilities. This issue of TEACHING Exceptional Children provides members of IEP teams with strategies to collaboratively develop and implement IEPs that include mental health supports. The guidance with case examples assures compliance with the legal requirements of the IDEA regarding IEP development for PK–12 students and presents a compelling professional rationale for adopting the SBMHS approach.

In the first article for this special issue, the authors describe a six-step approach to secure SBMHS for students with disabilities. The collection of specific evaluation data establishes the need for SBMHS, which can then serve to develop goals, SDI and/or RSI, and progress monitoring plans. Examples of statements and summaries to guide IEP development are provided.

The second article illustrates the six-step approach for two case examples, one for a child with externalizing behavioral concerns and one for a student exhibiting internalizing symptoms of mental health needs. IEP team members will learn how the collaborative, data-based approach substantiates the need for SBMHS and how each of the six steps was completed for the two students.

In the third article, the authors discuss how the provision of SBMHS aligns with a successful multitiered system of support and is enhanced through high-leverages practices (McLeskey et al., 2017). Considerations for culturally and linguistically diverse students and families are presented through Elijah’s vignette, with specific recommendations for professional practice.

Special consideration for securing SBMHS in early childhood special education is presented in the fourth article, which highlights the importance of early childhood mental health. Five strategies to assist early childhood professionals in providing mental health supports are discussed with specific examples.

Finally, in the epilogue to this special issue, the articles in the series that support the provision of needed SBMHS to students with disabilities are summarized. The rationale for adopting these strategies and recommendations is framed through an alignment with professional standards and through a professional ethic of care and advocacy.

I would like to thank the collaborators who contributed articles to this series; the reviewers of this special issue; Dawn Rowe, the editor of TEACHING Exceptional Children; and the publication staff of the Council for Exceptional Children.