Archives
Partial
Hospital Guidance to School Districts
January
24, 2008
The Department
of Public Welfare (DPW) released the bulletin Guidance for Interagency Planning
for Children in Need of Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services or Partial
Hospitalization Services During the School Day earlier this month. The bulletin
provides guidance to child and adolescent partial hospital programs and Behavioral
Health Rehabilitative Service (BHRS) providers about the need for collaboration
between mental health services and local education agencies. The bulletin
is available on the PCPA web site.
Guidance
to Schools Regarding PHP Services
On December 19,2007, Diane Castelbuono, deputy secretary, Office of Elementary
and Secondary Education, sent a letter to all school district superintendents
with guidance regarding their role in providing educational services to students
being treated in partial hospitals and in collaborating with the mental health
provider agency. This letter represents a significant milestone in the relationship
between the state’s education and behavioral health leadership as well
as community education and behavioral health agencies. A copy of Deputy
Secretary Castelbuono’s letter is attached a. Highlights of the
letter to the superintendents include such guidance as:
- “In
all situations, it is the responsibility of the student’s resident
school district to provide or ensure the provision of education services
to a child who is placed in a partial hospital program (PHP).”
- “….children
placed in PHP may not receive homebound instruction for a period in excess
of thirty days.”
- “The
PHP provider will work with the school district to develop an education
plan that will include the educational goals for the student while they
are enrolled with the PHP as well as a transition plan that will ensure
successful reintegration to their traditional school facility.”
Deputy Secretary
Castelbuono encourages superintendents to “initiate contact with PHP
providers if they have not contacted you.” PCPA encourages members that
provide PHP services or other services that support the success of students
to contact their local school superintendents and advance this effort to promote
communication and collaboration.
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