Definition of serious emotional disturbances

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The following definition of serious emotional disturbance is copied from the notice to the states concerning "estimation Methodology for Children with a Serious Emotional Disturbance," as published in the Federal Register: October 6, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 193 [Page 52139-52145]).

 The Center for Mental Health Services' definition is that "children with serious emotional disturbance" are persons:

 From birth up to age 18;

• Who currently or at any time during the past year;
• Have had a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to meet diagnostic criteria specified within DSM-III-R
• That resulted in functional impairment which substantially interferes with or limits the child's role or functioning in family, school, or community activities (p.29425).

   The definition goes on to indicate that, ``these disorders include any mental disorder (including those of biological etiology) listed in DSM-III-R or their ICD-9-CM equivalent (and subsequent revisions) with the exception of DSM-III-R `V'**codes, substance use, and developmental disorders, which are excluded, unless they co-occur with another diagnosable serious emotional disturbance'' (p. 29425).

   Further, the definition indicates that, ``Functional impairment is defined as difficulties that substantially interfere with or limit a child or adolescent from achieving or maintaining one or more developmentally-appropriate social, behavioral, cognitive, communicative, or adaptive skills. Functional impairments of episodic, recurrent, and continuous duration are included unless they are temporary and expected responses to stressful events in their environment. Children who would have met functional impairment criteria during the referenced year without the benefit of treatment or other support services are included in this definition'' (p. 29425).

** "V" codes include such disorders as bereavement, parent-child or sibling relational problem, phase of life problem, etc.

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