55th Annual JCCASAC Conference

School Districts across California are facing unprecedented times in education with challenges in the areas of mental health and behavior. This session will explore the steps that one district took to initially develop a support team to address identified gaps for student with severe mental health and behavioral needs in California's largest single SELPA high school district. Learn how that district support team has transformed into cross-collaboration county-wide to support incarcerated and expelled students being served at County operated Court and Community schools to promote success. This session will equip you with the tools you need to identify gaps and needs in your current educational setting for students with behavioral, mental health, or learning loss related needs. You will have ideas and resources to develop a plan for your students in a collaborative fashion with district partners and community stakeholders. Come follow Kern County Office of Education Special Education Director, Michelle Taylor-Langham and Kern High School District Special Education Director, Holly Mell on their journey through the past five years of creating and implementing a successful support team for critically at-risk youth.