Report 2015-112 Recommendation 28 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 #28 To: Education, Department of
Education should require all LEAs and SELPAs that hold contracts for mental health services to annually obtain and retain copies of contractor personnel lists and the credentials or licenses for contractor personnel who provide mental health services to students in their respective LEA or SELPA.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018
Education updated and finalized the instrument to include a monitoring item for verifying that LEAs have the required documentation for contractor personnel, which will be included as part of the Policies and Procedures review. The monitoring item has been added to the item table and is marked as a high frequency item that will be reviewed as part of all Comprehensive Reviews taking place in 2018-19.
- Completion Date: July 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
We agree that Education will have fully addressed our recommendation if it reviews LEAs consistent with the new item in its monitoring instrument.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017
Education is adding a monitoring item as part of the Policies and Procedures review, which will be used to verify that LEAs have the required documentation for contractor personnel. The new item will be included as a "high frequency" item. This means that the item would automatically be incorporated into each Policies and Procedures protocol and used for every Comprehensive Review. Education is currently in the process of finalizing the necessary internal approvals for this instrument change.
- Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
1-Year Agency Response
Education is in the process of revising the monitoring instrument to verify LEAs' compliance with the requirement to retain documentation of contractors' qualifications and the services provided.
- Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2017
- Response Date: January 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
In its six month response, Education demonstrated that it had notified LEAs that they were required to retain documentation of the qualifications of the licensed or credentialed contractor personnel who provide mental health services to students. This response indicates that Education is still revising its monitoring instrument to verify compliance with that requirement. Accordingly, this recommendation remains partially implemented.
6-Month Agency Response
Corrective Actions Taken: On July 8, 2016, Education sent correspondence to SELPAs and LEAs' clarifying the requirement to maintain records of contractor qualifications. Education is also revising the monitoring instrument to verify LEAs compliance with the requirement to retain documentation of contractors' qualifications and the services provided.
- Estimated Completion Date: November 1, 2016
- Response Date: July 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
Education concurs with this recommendation. Education anticipates providing notification to LEAs on the expected requirement for LEAs to maintain records of contractor qualifications in spring 2016. Education will also revise the monitoring instrument used by the Special Education Division to ensure that LEAs retain documentation of contractors' qualifications and the services provided.
- Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2016
- 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.