Module 16: Add/Remove SchooLink or Change Provider Organizations

To Add a School:

1. The school district submits a written request to the county monitor to add services at a school site.
   • The request must include data detailing the number of enrolled students and percentage of the school eligible for Medi-Cal or free and reduced lunch or socioeconomically disadvantaged designation.
   • The school district and school must commit to the SchooLink thresholds (Module 5).
   • It is common, but not required, that the district connects with a provider they would like to work with about their capacity to add a school and includes this information in their request.
   • Provider organization may submit the request on behalf of the school district.
2. The County reviews the request and makes a determination based on:
   • Total school enrollment
   • Medi-Cal and free/reduced lunch population - Free or Reduced-Price Meal (Student Poverty) Data (CA Dept of Education) or School Accountability Report Card (SARC) (CA Dept of Education) utilizing "socioeconomically disadvantaged" student group
   • Student, parent and community demographics and needs, such as primary language
   • Number of students likely to meet SchooLink eligibility criteria
   • Availability of confidential therapy space
   • Program funding and provider/system capacity to add another school
3. If the County approves the request, they will assign a provider organization based on ‘district choice’ and provider availability.
4. The school district and the provider organization execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) authorizing the provider organization to provide services on their school campus(es).
5. The school district, school staff and provider hold an initial Annual SchooLink Meeting to discuss process and plan the initiation of services.

To Remove a School:

1. The school district, school, provider organization, or County may suggest that SchooLink services are no longer necessary at a school site and communicates this concern to all parties.
2. The County leads all parties in a dialog to clarify the rationale for removing services and determine the course of action.
3. The County and the provider organization will discuss the impact of the change on their contract and identify necessary next steps.

To Change a Provider Organization:

1. If a school has issues with their provider or provider organization, they should first reach out to the provider organization’s leadership to discuss their concerns. School leadership can ask their district’s point person for behavioral health services for assistance with this discussion if needed.
   • If a provider has issues with their school, they should first reach out to the school leadership to discuss their concerns.
2. If the concerns cannot be resolved between the two parties directly, the provider and school leadership should contact the school district’s point person for behavioral health services who can contact the county monitor, on behalf of the school district, to request a change in provider.
3. The County will:
   • Review the rationale and barriers to continue services at the school and/or with the current provider;
   • Determine whether a change is warranted and if so, assign a new provider when one is available.

Who is the county monitor?

For a list of county monitors and their contact information, go to the Directory for all Youth Services, County points of contact.

• Behavioral Health Services for Children, Youth, and Families

Next Module

For administrative information or to provide feedback about the SchooLink training program, please email BHSContactUs.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov with subject line: SchooLink.