Educational Counseling Resources

The links below are organized alphabetically as a resource for educators and others who manage district, county, or school-based school counseling programs.

California Association of School Counselors (CASC)
The state chartered association guiding the work of school counselors working in California schools.

CASC Position Statements
Encompasses information topics on various areas relevant to the school counseling profession.

CASC School Counselor of the Year Annual Awards
Criteria, including submission criteria and other awards related to the school counseling profession.

California Code of Regulations Title 5, Section 80049.1(c)
Community-based service providers, individuals completing counseling-related internship programs, and state licensed individuals providing services on school campuses are required to be supervised by Pupil Personnel Services Credential Holders. For additional facts go to Information Brief: Provisions for Pupil Personnel Services to Provide Supervision for Counseling-related Services in Grades Pre Kindergarten through Twelve (PDF) and California Department of Education advisory letter Requirements for Securing the Services of Mental Health Professionals to Provide Related Services to Special Education Students.

California Education Code Section 49600
Outlines the requirements associated with educational counseling in schools.

California Education Code Section 49602
Defines specific confidentiality requirements when working with students, ages twelve and older.

Cops and No Counselors: How the Lack of School Mental Health Staff Is Harming Students (PDF; 6.41MB)
The 2019 report from the American Civil Liberties Union indicate a severe shortage of the staff most critical to school safety and positive school climate—school-based mental health providers including shortages in school counselors, psychologists, nurses, and social workers.

Counseling Resources
This open-sourced website provides sample lessons, mental health resources and materials for educators during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Counseling/Student Support - CalEdFacts
Provides a detailed overview of counseling programs.

COVID-19 Planning Considerations and Resources: Addressing Staff & Student Mental School for Re-entry (PDF)
Provides a three-step process in schools transiting from online learning to in-person learning.

Heartbeat (Video; 4:13)
CASC video that describes school counseling services from the perspective of students and teachers.

Project Cal-well
Federal grant to increase mental health awareness and promote wellness among grades kindergarten through twelve students in California.

Pupil Personnel Services: School Counseling, School Psychology, School Social Work, and Child Welfare and Attendance Preconditions and Specialization Standards (PDF)
The 2020 report provides a training framework for university training programs under the authorization of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Sample Board Policies and Regulations School Safety
Local educational agencies are accountable for defining school counseling programs within board policies in their district (BP/AR 6164.2).

School Counselors - How their work is making a difference in California school (Video; 1:59)
Video describing the need and research in meeting student mental health needs.

School-based Mental Health: School and Community Partnerships Joint Position Statement: Community (PDF)
CASC document outlines mental health programs on school campuses.

State of Student Wellness 2021 (PDF)
Fact Sheet that describes statewide survey data on student mental health issues following returning to in-school learning and COVID-19 related issues.

Support Personnel Accountability Report Card (SPARC)
A continuous improvement tool that gives a school site an opportunity to demonstrate effective communication and a commitment to getting results. Includes lists of the California Counselor Leadership Academy winners.

The California Standards for the School Counseling Profession (PDF)
The publication articulates the scope of work and the values that the counseling profession stands for, outlining how practitioners can achieve the outcomes that both the profession and the public expect.