Report 2015-112 Recommendation 10 Responses
Report 2015-112: Student Mental Health Services: Some Students' Services Were Affected by a New State Law, and the State Needs to Analyze Student Outcomes and Track Service Costs (Release Date: January 2016)
Recommendation #10 To: Long Beach Unified School District
To ensure that it complies with federal and state requirements, Long Beach should develop a process to ensure that IEP teams record, in student IEP documents, the rationale for residential treatment and any potential harmful effects of such placement.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020
LBUSD's IEP document reflects that potential for "harmful effects" of any services rendered. This process has been specifically discussed and practiced as it pertains to students in Residential Placements.
- Completion Date: November 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
Long Beach provided its written process for reviewing IEP documents. As part of its review process, Long Beach staff verify that the IEP documents include specific components, such as the rationale for residential treatment and any potential harmful effects of such placement. Long Beach staff communicate to IEP teams any deficiencies noted during the review process and provide guidance on how to amend the IEP documents as needed.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018
Our IEP document reflects that potential for "harmful effects" of any services rendered. This process has been specifically discussed and practiced as it pertains to students in Residential Placements.
- Completion Date: November 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Long Beach did not provide documentation that supports its claim of full implementation. Accordingly, we continue to assess this recommendation as partially implemented.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2017
We have communicated the need for specific language in the IEP to teachers. We did a document review of IEPs to insure that the necessary language has been used. and it is being effectively implemented.
- Completion Date: February 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Although we made a specific request, Long Beach did not provide any documentation to support its claim that it has fully implemented this recommendation. Accordingly, we continue to assess the recommendation as partially implemented.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
1-Year Agency Response
We have provided specific training to the NPS/RTC administrator to insure that discussions take place and language is included in IEP's that reflects the serious, restrictive nature of a residential placement. Random review (led internally) of IEP's for students that are newly placed to RTC indicate that this language has been included.
- Completion Date: December 2016
- Response Date: January 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
Long Beach held a special education teacher meeting in February 2017, and the assistant superintendent of school support services distributed a memorandum communicating the discussion from the meeting regarding documentation of related service changes, including mental health services. As part of that communication, Long Beach indicated that if a student is accessing a residential treatment center as part of the mental health service recommendation, the notes in the IEP should include the rationale for placement and any harmful effects that the team feels may occur as a result of the placement. However, Long Beach did not provide any evidence of the random review of IEPs it performed to substantiate that this language was included within the IEP.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
6-Month Agency Response
We are working on this process in collaboration with teachers at the middle and high school level.
- Estimated Completion Date: 01/15/17
- Response Date: October 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
60-Day Agency Response
In combination with required CDE monitoring and training, the District has implemented additional teacher trainings to review and train on applicable state and federal laws.
- Estimated Completion Date: Ongoing
- Response Date: April 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2015-112
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.