I'm Back! Developing a Transition Plan for Students with Disabilities who Return to Rural School Districts from Mental Health Treatment Facilities

Abstract

Rural school districts often face the dilemma of students with disabilities returning from mental health facilities without sufficient accompanying information needed to facilitate a transition into the educational setting. The compounding factors in this dilemma are the lack of rural mental health professionals and the proximity of mental health facilities to rural school districts. In order to develop a transition plan to address this dilemma, a mental health facility and twenty-five rural school districts collaborated in constructing The Cognitive/Behavior Management Transition Plan (CBMTP). This individualized plan details the roles of mental health professionals, parents, and educators in assisting the transition of students with disabilities into the rural school environment.