Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
(a)
Purpose. SB services is a program that offers preventative and
early intervention services to children, adolescents, and families in Oklahoma
through community-based partnerships between Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS)
and local school districts. The program aids students in overcoming barriers
which impede educational success and in addressing concerns before they can
escalate into a crisis.
(b)
Partnership. The SB Services Program is a contractual and
collaborative partnership between OKDHS and local school systems. The SB
Services Program requires specialists to be competent in a specialized practice
area, including knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for effective
service delivery across OKDHS services, schools, and communities. An SB
specialist works in a partnering school to:
(1) increase awareness of, and access to,
OKDHS services and community resources for families;
(2) improve coordination and communication
between OKDHS and public schools; and
(3) increase community education on family
issues through agency-school-community collaboration and
planning.
(c)
Goals. OKDHS expects the SB Services Program to:
(1) impact a community through improved
individual and family health, safety, and functioning;
(2) give all children the opportunity and
resources to succeed academically and socially in a safe and healthy school
environment;
(3) improve community
outcomes through SB activities; thus, reducing an array of family risk factors;
and
(4) work with individual
families and in collaboration with other community
stakeholders.
(d)
Scope and applicability. The SB specialist retains the same rights
and privileges and the same obligations set forth in OKDHS policy. The SB
specialist maintains office hours similar to the school staff members and is
expected to work no less and no more than 40 hours per week.
(1) In the event the partnering school:
(A) is closed, and school staff is not
working onsite, the SB specialist is authorized to telework from home provided
the SB specialist is generally accessible by phone and email during working
hours; and
(B) deems distance
learning is necessary for reasons of health and safety, OKDHS continues to
supply the SB specialist to perform the same services using means appropriate
to distance learning.
(2)
In the event the contractual agreement with the partnering school is cancelled,
the immediate supervisor or reviewing supervisor ensures permanent employees
are able to return to a position within OKDHS when the contract is discontinued
due to actions unrelated to the SB specialist.
(3) The SB specialist maintains records by
documenting students' situations and activities on the OKDHS software platform,
which is used to evaluate the program's outcomes.
(e)
Confidential information.
(1) The SB Services Program complies with
confidentiality restraints that are in existence at the participating school,
and OKDHS rules regarding confidentiality. Per the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the participating school and SB
specialists agree to use and disclose Protected Health Information in
compliance with the "Privacy Rule" HIPAA set forth in Sections
160.01 through
160.552 and
164.102 through
164.534 of Title 45 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (45
C.F.R. §§ 160.01-
160.552,
164.102 -
164.534) . Per the Family
Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), SB specialists use and disclose
student educational records and family information in compliance with FERPA,
Section 1232g of Title 20 of the United
States Code and 34 C.F.R.
§§
99.1-
99.67.
(2) The partnered school and OKDHS recognize
the other has and will acquire client or student information which is protected
from improper disclosure. Neither the partnered school nor OKDHS, whether
directly or indirectly, divulges, discloses, or otherwise communicates such
information to third parties without the prior written consent of the other.
(3) Through the contractual
relationship with the partnered school, the SB specialist is able to
communicate information to the school to better understand and help a specific
student and family. The SB specialist is permitted to share information with
the partnered school that supports the educational needs of
students.
