Search & Serve

Any individual who believes they know a child who might require special education intervention may call the Search and Serve office or their local school district and talk with someone about their concerns. Programs and services from birth until age 21 are available to a child who has a disability. Every call results in a personal contact.

Behaviors that may indicate that this process should begin include:

• Difficulty staying on task
• Persistent difficulty in following direction
• Frequent outbursts for no apparent reason
• Difficulty in understanding what is read
• Difficulty expressing ideas in spoken or written form
• Difficulty solving math problems
• Experiencing complex medical problems
• Inability to talk as well as children of the same age
• Demonstrating little interest in toys or stories for children of that age
• Demonstrating puzzling behaviors
• Inability to play with other children

The Search and Serve office will screen each contact and make a referral to the most appropriate source of evaluation and services for the child. Requests for screening and referrals are made to appropriate schools, agencies, and other resources that will assist the child to receive an assessment and recommendations.

The referral could be directed to a speech pathologist, the local school district, the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office or other educational and community resources. If needed, special education programs and services will also be recommended for the child. There are many programs and services that are available to children that may have a disability and require specialized services to reach the desired outcomes. Search and Serve is an ongoing, cooperative effort that involves state and local agencies of the Department of Mental Health, Rehabilitation, Health, and Human Services, the County Superintendent of Schools, all public and non-public schools, Kern Regional Center and community agencies that provide services to children.

A vital part of the Search and Serve effort is the assistance from the community members, state and local organizations, business firms, social and civic groups, parents, and students themselves. There are no fees and there is no cost to the parents at any time for services that are provided to a student in special education.