105 ILCS 5/14-1.09.1: School psychological services.

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-605)

In the public schools, school psychological services provided by qualified specialists who hold a Professional Educator License endorsed for school psychology issued by the State Board of Education may include, but are not limited to: (i) administration and interpretation of psychological and educational evaluations; (ii) developing school-based prevention programs, including violence prevention programs; (iii) counseling with students, parents, and teachers on educational and mental health issues; (iv) acting as liaisons between public schools and community agencies; (v) evaluating program effectiveness; (vi) providing crisis intervention within the school setting; (vii) helping teachers, parents, and others involved in the educational process to provide optimum teaching and learning conditions for all students; (viii) supervising school psychologist interns enrolled in school psychology programs that meet the standards established by the State Board of Education; and (ix) screening of school enrollments to identify children who should be referred for individual study. Nothing in this Section prohibits other qualified professionals from providing those services listed for which they are appropriately trained.

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-605)

School psychological services.

(a) In the public schools, school psychological services provided by qualified specialists who hold a Professional Educator License endorsed for school psychology issued by the State Board of Education may include, but are not limited to:

(1) providing assessments, including the following:

(A) administering and interpreting psychological, educational, psychoeducational, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral evaluations;

(B) administering universal screenings; and

(C) using various other data-collection methods that (i) identify and address student academic, social, emotional, developmental, mental, and behavioral health needs, (ii) provide information about an individual's eligibility for special educational services, (iii) assess the risk of harm to an individual or to others, and (iv) evaluate the effectiveness of educational services and practices;

(2) creating and implementing prevention and intervention services that support student learning, promote safe learning environments, and address other barriers to learning, including the following:

(A) developing school-based prevention programs, including violence prevention programs; and

(B) facilitating the delivery of curricula, instructional strategies, and school-wide, group, and individual interventions that support student achievement, student wellness, and student mental and behavioral health;

(3) providing mental and behavioral health services, including the following:

(A) conducting individual and group counseling with students, parents, and teachers on educational and mental health issues;

(B) developing and implementing school-wide, group, and individual services that promote social-emotional, mental, and behavioral health, as well as pro-social and positive behaviors; and

(C) conducting behavior assessments and interventions;

(4) acting as liaisons between public schools and community agencies;

(5) evaluating program effectiveness;

(6) providing crisis prevention, response, and intervention within the school setting;

(7) providing consultation and collaboration, including the following:

(A) helping teachers, parents, and others involved in the educational process to provide optimum teaching and learning conditions for all students; and

(B) engaging in collaborative problem-solving on an individual or systematic level in order to plan, implement, and evaluate academic, mental health, and behavioral health services, which may include psychoeducation for students, families, school personnel, and other relevant parties;

(8) supervising school psychologist interns enrolled in school psychology programs that meet the standards established by the State Board of Education;

(9) screening school enrollments to identify children who should be referred for individual study; and

(10) developing any other necessary programs and services, including the following:

(A) designing, implementing, and evaluating safe and supportive learning environments that are educationally and psychologically sound;

(B) acting as a catalyst for educator and family engagement in adaptations and innovations; and

(C) facilitating the psychoeducational development of individual families and groups.

Nothing in this Section prohibits other qualified professionals from providing those services listed for which they are appropriately trained.

(b) The provision of school psychological services may include the promotion of students' strengths, as well as the identification and treatment of mental health disorders and disabilities but may not include the prescription, administration, or monitoring of pharmacological interventions.

(c) A school psychologist may not provide school psychological services outside of his or her employment to any student in any school district that employs the school psychologist.