CHAPTER 4. Primary Intervention Program [4343. - 4352.5.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 4.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4343. Section 4343.

The Legislature recognizes that prevention and early intervention services have long been slighted in the community mental health programs and has identified, as a goal of the Bronzan-McCorquodale program, the prevention of serious mental disorders and psychological problems. It is the intent of the Legislature to establish throughout the state a school-based primary intervention program designed for the early detection and prevention of emotional, behavioral, and learning problems in primary grade children with services provided by child aides or unpaid volunteers under the supervision of mental health professionals. The Legislature recognizes the documented significant improvement of children who have participated in the program over time. The goal of the primary intervention program is to help young children derive maximum profit from the school experience and, in so doing, prevent later-life problems of school failure, unemployment, delinquency, criminal behavior, and substance abuse.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4344. Section 4344.

Primary intervention programs shall be developed in accordance with the guidelines and principles set forth in this chapter. To this end, school districts, publicly funded preschool programs, and local mental health programs may implement primary intervention programs with available funds, or may jointly apply to the State Department of Mental Health to be considered for grant programs outlined in this chapter.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4345. Section 4345.

The Director of Mental Health shall develop guidelines for primary intervention programs in accordance with the following: (a) School-based programs shall serve children in grades kindergarten through three. (b) The programs may serve children beyond grade three who could benefit from the program but the number of children accepted into the program from grades four and above shall not represent more than 15 percent of the total number of children served. (c) The programs may serve children enrolled in a publicly funded preschool program. (d) The programs shall serve children referred by either a screening process, a teacher, school-based mental health professionals, other school personnel who have had opportunities to observe children in interpersonal contacts, or parents. If a screening process is utilized, behavior rating scales shall constitute the primary instrument from which referrals to primary intervention programs are made. To a more limited extent, observations of children working on structured tasks and standardized projective tests may also be used. (e) The programs may include a parent involvement component. (f) Before acceptance of a child into a primary intervention program, parental consent is required.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4346. Section 4346.

(a) Each primary intervention program shall have a core team consisting of school-based mental health professionals, including credentialed school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, or local mental health program professionals, or a combination thereof, and child aides. (b) The school-based mental health professionals shall be responsible for accepting referred children into the program, supervision of the child aides, assignment of a child to an aide, evaluation of progress, and determination of termination from the program. The mental health professionals shall supervise the scoring and interpretation of screening and assessment test data, conduct conferences with parents, and evaluate the effectiveness of individual aides. (c) Child aides, under supervision of the school-based mental health professional, shall conduct weekly play sessions with children served in the primary intervention programs. Child aides may be salaried school aides, unpaid volunteers or other persons with time and interest in working with young children, and who may be provided stipends to meet expenses. (d) All aides shall undergo a time-limited period of training that is focused on the main intervention strategies of the particular program and is provided prior to direct contacts with the children served in the primary intervention programs. Training shall, at a minimum, include basic child development, crisis intervention, techniques of nondirective play, other intervention skills appropriate to identified problem areas, and instruction in utilizing supervision and consultation.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4347. Section 4347.

School districts or publicly funded preschools receiving funds under this chapter shall demonstrate a capability for referral to appropriate public and private community services. The referrals shall be made through contacts with families in response to information regarding the need for referral arising from the child aide sessions.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4348. Section 4348.

(a) (1) Subject to the availability of funding each year, the State Department of Mental Health shall award primary intervention program grants pursuant to a request for proposal consistent with the provisions of this chapter. (2) In counties over 100,000 in population, each application shall be the product of a proposal developed jointly between the local mental health program and a school district or publicly funded preschool. The grant award shall be administered by the local mental health program. (3) In counties 100,000 in population and under, an application may be submitted pursuant to paragraph (2) or by the county superintendent of schools on behalf of one or more school districts, or by a school district. If an application is submitted by the county superintendent of schools or by a school district, the county office of education or the school district shall administer the grant and the application shall include evidence satisfactory to the department that adequate mental health training and consultation will be provided at each program site. (b) Prior to dissemination of a request for proposal, the department shall establish a maximum figure for the amount of program funds available per project site and for the number of sites that may be funded per school district or regional area. The department shall be guided in its decisions by the availability of uncommitted funds designated for the primary intervention program. (c) Primary intervention program grants shall be funded from funds appropriated for programs pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 4370) and shall receive first priority for these funds. (d) Upon approving a primary intervention grant, the State Department of Mental Health shall contract with the grant recipient to provide a primary intervention program for a period of up to three years. (e) Costs of a primary intervention program shall be financed on a basis of: (1) A maximum of 50 percent from primary intervention program grant funds or a maximum established by the department, whichever is less. (2) At least 50 percent from a combination of school district or preschool and local mental health program funds. (f) The school district or preschool share may be in-kind contributions, including staff, space, equipment, materials, and reasonable administrative services. (1) Contributed space to be used for child aide sessions must be comfortable, attractive, and engaging to young children. Small individual rooms are preferable. (2) Space to be used for group meetings and consultation sessions may also be contributed. (3) Equipment and materials may be contributed if they include items that encourage child participation in nondirective play. (g) The local mental health program share may include either the cost of the mental health professionals as described in subdivision (b) of Section 4346 or the contribution of professional staff to provide case consultation to the child aides and assistance in child aide training.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4349. Section 4349.

The State Department of Mental Health shall, on the basis of applications submitted pursuant to a request for proposal, select recipients of primary intervention program grants based on the following criteria: (a) Availability of professional and other program staff with related experience and interest in early intervention. (b) Reasonable evidence of future stability of the program and its personnel. (c) Representation of a wide range of economic, ethnic, and cultural populations. (d) Demonstration of strong support by the teaching, pupil services, and administrative personnel at the school or preschool and by the local mental health program. (e) Assurance that grants would supplement existing local resources.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4349.5. Section 4349.5.

Grants that have been awarded prior to the effective date of this section shall continue to be subject to the provisions of this chapter, including the grant recipient, matching, and eligibility requirements.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4349.7. Section 4349.7.

Proposals submitted to the department between April 1, 1992, and May 1, 1992, pursuant to Sections 4343 to 4350, inclusive, that received a passing score shall be funded pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 4370). Those grants shall continue to be subject to this chapter, including the matching and eligibility requirements.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4350. Section 4350.

(a) The role of the school district or preschool in each approved primary intervention program shall be to do all of the following: (1) Arrange for mental health professionals based at the program site to supervise program staff and procedures. These persons may be either pupil personnel staff or local mental health program staff. (2) Recruit and train child aides. (3) Screen and assess children in accordance with guidelines established by the department. (4) Provide individual and group play sessions to selected children in accordance with guidelines established by the department. (5) Provide space and equipment for child aide sessions with children and for staff meetings. (6) Establish and maintain program records. (7) Prepare program reports in accordance with guidelines established by the department. (8) Submit periodic statements of program grant fund expenditures to the local mental health program for reimbursement in accordance with the approved program budget. (b) The role of the local mental health program in each approved jointly proposed primary intervention program shall be to: (1) Administer state program grant funds awarded by the department by contracting with the school district or preschool to provide a primary intervention program in accordance with this chapter and the joint proposal of the local mental health program and the school district or preschool as approved by the department. (2) Contribute professional staff to the program to do both of the following: (A) Assist the school district or preschool in the recruiting and initial training of child aides. (B) Provide ongoing case consultation and training to the child aides at regular intervals at the program site. (3) Ensure access to appropriate mental health treatment services available within the county’s program for those children in the program and their families who require services that are beyond the scope and purposes of the primary intervention program. (c) The role of the State Department of Mental Health in each approved primary intervention program shall be to: (1) (A) Develop a contract with the local mental health program for provision of a primary intervention program in accordance with this chapter and the joint proposal of the local mental health program and school district or preschool as approved by the department. (B) Develop contracts with the county superintendent of schools or a school district for provision of a primary intervention program in accordance with this chapter and the proposal submitted by the county superintendent of schools or a school district pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4348. (2) Develop contracts with school districts or local mental health programs to permit the establishment of technical assistance centers to support in the timely and effective implementation of the primary intervention programs. Technical assistance centers shall be in districts which have successfully implemented programs over a period of time. (3) Disburse program grant funds to the local mental health program or county superintendent of schools or school district in accordance with terms of the contract. (4) Conduct visits to each program site at least once during the first year of funding, and thereafter as necessary, in order to determine compliance with this chapter and the contract and to determine training needs of program staff. (5) Provide for periodic training workshops for program staff. (6) Establish guidelines for program procedures, screening and assessment of children, records, and reports.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4350.5. Section 4350.5.

(a) School districts or county superintendents of schools proposing to serve as grant recipients pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4348 shall perform the functions described in subdivision (a) of Section 4350. (b) The county office of education or school district subject to subdivision (a) shall ensure the provision of adequate initial and ongoing case consultation and training for child aides at regular intervals at each program site from qualified mental health professionals.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4351. Section 4351.

The department shall provide for training of program personnel. Funds for this purpose may be appropriated under Section 11489 of the Health and Safety Code, through other special funds, or through the state budget. Training of program personnel may be contracted out to programs designated by the State Department of Mental Health appropriate to provide these services.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4352. Section 4352.

(a) The State Department of Mental Health shall conduct a review of each primary intervention program at least once during the first year of funding, and thereafter as necessary. (b) The purposes of the reviews are program improvement and compliance with the guidelines set forth in this chapter. The review procedure shall be adequately flexible for application to primary intervention programs of varying sizes and models. (c) The State Department of Mental Health may contract for the conducting of reviews with programs appropriate for providing these services. Funds may be appropriated for this purpose pursuant to Section 11489 of the Health and Safety Code, from other special funds, or through the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 4352.5. Section 4352.5.

Up to 10 percent of the total state funds available annually for the primary intervention program from all sources may be utilized by the department for administration, training, consultation, and evaluation.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026