Itinerant Mental Health Providers

Itinerant Mental Health Providers are mental health therapists from vetted community agencies that families have hired to do work with a student outside of school.

MPS allows Itinerant Mental Health Providers to meet with students at school when the cargiver, school team, and itinerant provider deem that it is important to a student's education and wellbeing.

Please note that this process is limited to licensed clinical mental health providers as defined by Minnesota Statute 245l.04 and does not include ABA/EIDBI agencies.

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Itinerant Mental Health Provider Process

Review list of space availability to ensure that itinerant mental health services are available at your school
Caregivers initiate a Request for Itinerant Mental Health Services
Mental health agency authorized signer completes the itinerant mental health provider agency agreement.

One form per agency covers all agency therapists.
Agency signer will receive a copy of the signed agreement via email once it is approved by MPS.
Approved agencies list.

Scheduling a meeting with a student

Itinerant mental health providers will follow each school’s process for requesting to meet with a student
- Meetings should take place at a time and frequency directed by school staff and should not significantly interfere with a student’s educational program.
Itinerant provider must provide a valid photo identification to meet with a student in school
Meetings are limited to one hour visits and one time per week.
Providers may not observe students or provide support in classrooms

Virtual services are limited to grades 6 and above only

Student Observations

Student Observations

A caregiver gave their consent for me to observe their child in class. Why can't I do that?

As a general practice, MPS does not allow non-MPS individuals to conduct classroom observations for the following reasons:

Issues of data privacy: In a classroom, students' names are not private, especially in special education classrooms. If another non-MPS adult spends time in this classroom and hears student names we are indirectly telling this adult that this child is a special education student, which is private information. We also do not have permission from the caregivers of other children to have them observed.
Disruption to the learning environment: Any adult who enters into the classroom can cause disruption to the observed child or any other child, especially if the student knows the adult.
Purpose of the observation information: Raises the question, What do the observers do with the info? If classroom observation information is shared with parents, what if the observer has concerns about the teaching and how the teacher interacts with the assigned child or others? How is that information managed?
Possible role confusion for child: Having an adult in the classroom that has another professional relationship with the child can muddy the idea of who is in charge of that child in that classroom. If there is a behavior issue, or the child becomes sad or upset, will be observer feel the need to respond? What if the child approaches the observer with a complaint or a concern?

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