§ 49-6-6101. Improvement and Coordination of Services

The state departments of education, mental health and substance abuse services, and intellectual and developmental disabilities shall take the following actions to improve and coordinate services for behavioral/emotionally disordered children. Any policy change required as a result of these actions will be presented to the state board of education for review and approval:

1. Delineation of each state and local agency’s responsibilities;
2. Development of joint agency planning and training, especially between Tennessee’s state and local agencies of mental health and substance abuse services, intellectual and developmental disabilities and education;
3. Development of a systematic process for securing funding for a continuum of related service options;
4. Development of a definition of the target population;
5. Development of ongoing needs assessment process that addresses:

   1. The complex and diverse needs of the children and their families; and
   2. The resources of schools, mental health/intellectual and developmental disabilities providers, and public/private agencies;
6. Prepare an inventory of a continuum of existing services and options, known private or public agencies and families;
7. Development of an interagency agreement on the principles to be included in a plan of care as they relate to intervention or treatment goals. The plan of care shall have:

   1. Child involvement if developmentally appropriate;
   2. Measurable outcomes;
   3. Identification of agency or agencies that shall monitor the plan of care;
   4. Family involvement; and
   5. Sensitivity to unique cultural needs; and
8. Development of interagency training plan in the area of truancy prevention.