Ltr-11: ECPMH

Dear Select Special Education Local Plan Area Directors and County Superintendents of Schools:

CLAIM SUBMISSION FOR NECESSARY SMALL SELPAs’ EXTRAORDINARY COST POOL FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (ECPMH), FISCAL YEAR 2011−12

The California Department of Education (CDE), pursuant to provisional language in item 6110-161-0001 of the Budget Act of 2011 (Act), administers an extraordinary cost pool to reimburse necessary small special education local plan areas (SELPAs)—as defined in EC Section 56212—for extraordinary costs associated with educationally related mental health services, including out-of-home residential services. Costs of placements and services for single students in excess of a threshold amount, given below, will be reimbursed, subject to funds available for the year. The Act appropriates $3 million for this purpose.

Necessary small SELPAs that choose to apply for reimbursement from the ECPMH are to report the costs for each student using the ECPMH Supplementary Form/Certification that is available on the CDE Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/se/index.asp. The form(s) and certification, along with supporting documentation (a printout of each individual ECPMH claim report with copies of paid invoices for that claim) must be mailed by November 30, 2012 to the following address:

Shelley Goode, Analyst
Office of Principal Apportionment and Special Education
School Fiscal Services Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 3800
Sacramento, CA 95814

2011–12 Threshold Amount

The threshold amount for necessary small SELPAs is the lesser of $73,239.08 or one percent of the SELPA’s subtotal apportionment (sum of the base, supplement to base, COLA, and growth) for the 2011−12 fiscal year. Costs of placements and services for single students in excess of the threshold amount will be eligible for reimbursement. Single placement costs applied towards the threshold for reimbursements from the extraordinary cost pool for nonpublic schools and licensed children’s institutions will also be applied to this threshold.

If the total reimbursable amount exceeds the $3 million appropriation, funds will be used to first reimburse residential costs and claims for other mental health related costs will be prorated. If claims for residential costs exceed the $3 million appropriation, claims for residential costs will be prorated and remaining claims will not be reimbursed.

County superintendents should advise school districts and charter schools of the claims submission process for ECPMH as soon as possible by providing them a copy of this letter.

If you have any questions regarding the 2011−12 ECPMH, please contact Shelley Goode, Analyst, Office of Principal Apportionment and Special Education by phone at 916-324-4530 or by e-mail at sgoode@cde.ca.gov, or Halena Le, Consultant, Office of Principal Apportionment and Special Education by phone at 916-323-6195 or by e-mail at hle@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Peter Foggiato, Administrator
Office of Principal Apportionment and Special Education