Attachment I
Differentiating Counseling and Psychological Counseling as a Related Service
Counseling comes in many forms. There is often confusion as to who can provide counseling as a related
service. In addition, individual educational plan (IEP) teams may not consistently designate counseling
services to severely emotionally disturbed (SED) students who required those services to benefit from
special education. When the services
were
provided, IEP teams may not consistently document the
provision of those services on the IEP forms.
Counseling for SED students (and other students in need of this related service) in the state of Florida can
be provided
either
as a
counseling service
or as a
psychological service
. The provision of counseling
through two types of related service options increases the number of mental health professionals available
to provide these needed activities to support student learning.
In Florida, counseling is available to all students. It may be provided by personnel identified by schools,
such as guidance counselors, teachers, and assistant principals. It may take the form of guidance classes,
small group sessions, or individual assistance. This is not a related service.
Within the state of Florida, individuals qualified to provide “counseling as a related service” include:
licensed psychologists and licensed school psychologists (Chapter 490.003(4), Florida Statutes (F.S.),
licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) and other mental health providers as defined in Chapter
491.003(7), F.S., school psychologists, school social workers (Masters level and higher), and school
counselors certified by the Florida Department of Education. Therapeutic services will “include methods
of a psychological nature used to evaluate, assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent emotional and mental
disorders and dysfunctions (whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral)” may also be provided by those
persons licensed under Chapter 491 “
as long as they do not hold themselves out to the public as
psychologists or use the title or description of a psychologist,”
pursuant to Section 490.014(1)(b),
Florida Statutes.
Consequently, in Florida, individuals qualified to provide “psychological counseling as a related service”
for students who need significant therapeutic interventions include: psychologists and school
psychologists licensed under Chapter 490, or school psychologists certified through the Department of
Education.
Students with disabilities who have emotional and/or behavioral issues which impact their learning may
need counseling or psychological counseling as a related service to ensure adequate academic engaged
time and a successful learning experience in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Each student’s IEP
team should consider the student’s presenting behavior on a case-by-case basis to determine if counseling
or psychological counseling is required. IEP teams need to have the flexibility to provide both. If
counseling or psychological counseling is determined to be necessary as a related service in order for the
student to benefit from special education
,
it should be included on the student’s IEP and documented as a
related service. The type of counseling a student receives, including the nature of the counseling itself,
the frequency and duration of the sessions, and the selection of the category of service provider, should be
determined by the IEP team in response to the presenting behaviors or issues in question and will vary
according to the individual needs of the student.
May 31, 2005