Psychiatric Input as Part of a Comprehensive Evaluation Program for Socially and Emotionally Disturbed Children

Placement in special education classes for the socially and emotionally disturbed (SED) requires appropriate assessment of referred children. Pennsylvania is one of the few states mandating a psychiatrist's evaluation for placement in these classes. Psychiatric input, however, is usually quite limited; frequently the evaluation takes place solely in the psychiatrist's office and information about the child's school behavior is limited to the written referrals. These conditions make accurate and useful psychiatric assessment difficult. This paper describes a multidisciplinary team approach that enhances communication between the school and the team. A program integrating assessment and consultation services is provided. A unique feature of the program includes structured observations of the child at school; this system is described in detail.