LACOE's Mental Health & School Counseling strives to ensure every school is equipped to provide a culturally responsive and trauma-informed multi-tiered systems approach to support students' emotional wellbeing and safety so that they can thrive academically. To support districts in this work we provide technical assistance, resources, and trainings to LA County LEAs and school staff.
RESOURCES & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Legislation
Wellspace Resources
Building a Comprehensive School Mental Health Program Training Series
Training Opportunities
The ACEs Campaign (CA Surgeon General)
The Thriving Kids Project (Child Mind Institute)
Legislation
School Counselor Academy
Resources
School Social Work Academy
NASW School Social Work Standards
National School Social Work Competencies
School Social Worker Evaluation Tools
Resources
Legislation
Human Trafficking Prevention
Bullying Prevention
Legislation
CURRENT LEGISLATION IMPACTING MENTAL HEALTH, SCHOOL COUNSELING & VIOLENCE PREVENTION
California Ed Code for School Counselors
- The governing board of a school district may, and is urged to, provide access to a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils enrolled in the school district. It is the intent of the Legislature that a school district that provides educational counseling to its pupils implement a structured and coherent counseling program within a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support framework.
AB365 – Children of Military Families
- Extends to students from military families certain rights regarding exemptions from local graduation requirements and acceptance of partial credit which are currently afforded to other groups of highly mobile students.
AB2508 – Quirk-Silva. Pupil Services: Educational Counseling
- Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to provide a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils enrolled in the school district. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that school counselors provide a variety of services for all pupils. Existing law requires educational counseling to include academic counseling in specified areas. Existing law authorizes educational counseling to also include counseling in certain areas. Existing law defines “educational counseling” for these purposes.
- The Local Educational Agency Medi-Cal Billing Option Program (LEA BOP) reimburses LEA BOP Providers (school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, state special schools, community college districts, California State Universities, and University of California campuses) the federal share of the maximum allowable rate for approved health-related services provided by qualified health service practitioners to Medi-Cal eligible students.
AB-2246 – Pupil suicide prevention policies
- Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and provides for the establishment of school districts and other local educational agencies to operate these schools and provide instruction to pupils. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education in state government and vests the department with specified powers and duties relating to the state’s public school system.
- This bill would require the governing board or body of a local educational agency, as defined, that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to, before the beginning of the 2017–18 school year, adopt a policy on pupil suicide prevention, as specified, that specifically addresses the needs of high-risk groups. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the department to develop and maintain a model policy to serve as a guide for local educational agencies.
- The bill would require the State Board of Education to update its illness verification regulations, as necessary, to account for including a pupil’s absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health within the scope of this provision. To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on local educational entities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
AB-309 Pupil mental health: model referral protocols
- This bill would require the State Department of Education to develop model referral protocols, as provided, for addressing pupil mental health concerns. The bill would require the department to consult with various entities in developing the protocols, including current classroom teachers, administrators, pupils, and parents. The bill would require the department to post the model referral protocols on its internet website. The bill would make these provisions contingent upon funds being appropriated for its purpose in the annual Budget Act or other legislation, or state, federal, or private funds being allocated for this purpose.
AB7-48: Pupil mental health: mental health assistance posters
- This bill requires each school site in California serving pupils in grades 6 to 12 to create a poster that identifies approaches and shares resources regarding pupil mental health. The poster must be prominently and conspicuously displayed in appropriate public areas that are accessible to, and commonly frequented by, pupils at each local educational agency (LEA) school site. The California Department of Education would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the San Diego County Office of Education and their statewide youth group for their invaluable collaboration in the development, revision, and creation of these life-saving mental health resources. Please download these posters and follow the instructions provided to customize them for your school site or community.
Coming Soon
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS, COUNSELORS & STUDENTS
Health and Well-Being Resources
Bullying Prevention
Human Trafficking
Mental Health
Suicide Prevention
Wellness Centers
Crisis Response
Violence Prevention
Foster Youth Services
- Foster Youth Services – LACOE
Homeless Education
LGBTQIA+ Youth
- LGBTQIA+ YOUTH – San Diego County Office of Education
- LGBTQ+ – NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
Juvenile Justice Impacted Youth
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
Coordination Of Services Teams (COST)
Social Emotional Learning
- Elementary School
- Middle School
- High School
- Alternative Schools
- Greater Good Magazine
- CalHOPE Project Hub
- Resilience in School Environments (RISE)
- Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
Restorative Practices
- Domestic Harmonizer Virtual Center
- What Are Restorative Practices? An Educator's Guide to Fostering Positive School Climate and Culture
Trauma Informed Schools
- Supporting Resilience in Schools
- Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools: A System Framework
CASC Resources and Position Statements
School Counselors
- American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
- California Association of School Counselors (CASC)
- Western Association of College Admission Counseling
- ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors
Mental Health Providers
Clinical Supervision & Licensure
Explore this curated list of websites, resources, best practices, and articles that school counselors and others can use to aid students in exploring college options and selecting post-secondary options.
General College Resources
- ACT
- UC Counselor Conference Resources: These resources include conference breakout sessions presentations, director highlights from each campus, admissions 101 tips, and new personal insight questions.
- UC Quick Reference Guide for Counselors: This is something every high school counselor should have this guide handy. It includes freshman admission, “a-g”, validation, and application information.
- CSU Counselor Conference Resources: These resources include conference breakout session presentations and slides highlighting each campus.
- Cal-SOAP
- College Essay Guy is a great, free resource about the new personal UC statements and Common App essays that would be helpful for English teachers.
- California Dashboard
- Guide to Visiting Colleges: How to Make the Most of Campus Tours
- Finding Credible and Respected Online Colleges: The Importance of Graduation Rates and Employed Acceptance of Online Degrees
- Online Schools and Colleges in California
- Accreditation and Online Colleges
Financial Aid Resources
- Federal Financial Aid Toolkit: for School Counselors: Resources which include handouts, presentations, and marketing materials to promote the FAFSA to students.
- Common Scholarship: The San Diego Foundation Common Scholarship Application gives San Diego students access to more than 100 scholarships through our Community Scholarship Program. The application process is now open. Deadline is Feb. 1.
- Fastweb
College Board
- Counselor Connection: The College Board's one-stop page, filled with easy-to-use, timely resources to help counselors carry out the hard work being performed throughout the school year.
- College Board Resources: Can’t get away for professional learning opportunities? The College Board offers webinars to support school counselors on a variety of topics, such as SAT/PSAT/AP/Financial Aid and College and Career Readiness. Webinars are live and generally archived so you can tune in when it’s convenient.
- College Board workshop: Resources, including handouts and presentations.
- Roadtrip Nation and College Board: access phenomenal videos and lessons with discussion and resources to help lead students on their college journey. This is a great resource for after-school lessons or small group pull-outs.
Additional Resources
College-Going Resources for School Counselors
- CSU Conference Workshop Presentations
- College Board Resources for Counselors
- ACT Counselor Toolkit and ACT Counselor Guide
UC Counselor Quick Reference Guide
- Career Technical Education (CTE Pathways) for school counselors with many resources in one place!
- Career Academics helps students explore careers and community college programs.
- Californiacolleges.edu has college information and free career tools that allow students to create an account and save their results.
Through a historic partnership with L.A. Care Health Plan, Health Net, and the L.A. County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH), LACOE is working to offer access to mental health services for L.A. County’s 1.3 million K-12 public school students.
