|
Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED) in Children, Youth, and Young Adults provides an overview of SED, which incorporates functional impairment into the assessment of needs. Used widely across public behavioral health systems, it is also part of the authorizing legislation for system of care grants. The paper emphasizes the importance of developmental considerations with SED and discusses how symptoms and behaviors may change as children get older. It also discusses prevalence of, risk factors for, and co-occurring problems with SED; describes assessments for functional impairment; and reviews appropriate clinical interventions and supports.
A unique feature of this paper is the inclusion of a series of clinical briefs that each focus on a diagnostic category: trauma-related; neurodevelopmental; anxiety; obsessive-compulsive and related; mood; and disruptive, impulse control, and conduct. Each brief discusses clinical presentation, risk factors, prevalence and comorbidities, and, perhaps most importantly, treatments and recommendations for state and local child- and family-serving systems.
The authors make four overarching policy recommendations for improving treatment and supports for children and youth with SED:
- Emphasize functional impairment in eligibility criteria to ensure timely identification and early intervention.
- Ensure sustainability of services because the needs of youth with SED may be chronic and require support into adulthood.
- Promote access to affordable service delivery.
- Strengthen workforce development through targeted incentives and specialized approaches to ensure quality and effectiveness.
The authors conclude, “Effectively addressing SED demands a coordinated, integrated approach encompassing clear definitions, precise assessments, comprehensive service arrays, and collaborative multisystem interventions.” They observe, “…access to care must be a foundational principle, ensuring that services are available and effective for all populations.”
Authors of the technical assistance paper: F. Tony Bonadio, PhD; Sarah Quinn, MSW; Jessica Lim, MSSA; and Michelle Zabel, MSS at Innovations Institute, and Christopher Bellonci, MD, Harvard Medical School.
| 
