Behavior and Emotional Disorders

1
Behavior and Emotional Disorders

• Angela Ribarszky Diane Weaver
• November 15, 2004

2
IDEA Categories

• BED
• Behaviorally Emotionally Disturbed
• e.g. schizophrenia
• Some OHI
• Other Health Impaired
• e.g. ADHD

3
Definition of Emotional Disturbance

• One or more of the characteristics (on next 2
  slides)
• over a long period of time and
• to a marked degree
• adversely affects a child's educational
  performance

4
BED Characteristics (from IDEA 97)

• Inability to learn that cannot be explained by
  intellectual, sensory, or health factors
• Inability to build or maintain satisfactory
  interpersonal relationships with peers and
  teachers
• Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under
  normal circumstances.
• A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or
  depression.
• (Continued)

5
BED Characteristics, Contd.

• Tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears
  associated with personal or school problems.
• Includes schizophrenia.
• The term does not apply to children who are
  socially maladjusted, unless it is determined
  that they have an emotional disturbance.

6
Other Health Impaired (OHI)

• Chronic or acute health problems which cause
  limited strength, vitality or alertness,
  including a heightened alertness to environmental
  stimuli,
• To such an extent that special educational
  services are necessary.
• (Continued)

Adapted from NC DPI Procedures Governing Programs
and Services for Children with Disabilities
7
Other Health Impaired (OHI)

• may include heart conditions, chronic lung
  disease, tuberculosis, . . . , attention deficit
  disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity
  disorder, . . . or some other illness which may
  cause a student to have
• limited strength, vitality or alertness,
• adversely affecting educational performance or
  developmental progress.

Adapted (from NC DPI Procedures Governing
Programs and Services for Children with
Disabilities)
8
Referral Evaluation

• Parent or teacher may refer for evaluation.
• Parent must sign consent.
• Evaluation must cover area of suspected
  disability
• Most of these disorders involve impaired
  executive functioning, requiring specialized
  testing
• A psychiatric evaluation may be requested

9
Eligibility

• Generally under OHI or BED
• Childs behavior impedes own learning or that of
  others.
• Behavior includes extremely passive behavior as
  well as disruptive behavior

10
Help Available

• IDEA 97
• the State will enhance the ability of teachers
  and others to use strategies, such as behavioral
  interventions, to address the conduct of children
  with disabilities that impedes the learning of
  children with disabilities and others

11
Involve

• Child Find specialists (Central Office)
• Behavioral specialists (Central Office)
• Mental health treatment providers
• School nurse

12
System of Care

• Memorandum of Understanding
• LEA,
• Regional mental health network (LME),
• Juvenile Justice,
• DSS,
• Advocacy organizations
• have committed to collaborate seamlessly in a
  child-centered, family-centered team.

13
Placement

• Least restrictive
• Homebound is temporary it is the most
  restrictive.
• Self-contained classroom (BED room) temporary
  goal is reintegration.
• Regular classes
• Reduced school day
• Any combo of the above

14
Protections

• A student under IDEA cannot be suspended,
  expelled, or sent home in excess of 10
  (cumulative) days in a school year without
  determining whether the behavior was a
  manifestation of a disability.

15
Protections

• If the behavior results from a disability, a
  functional behavior assessment and behavioral
  plan are required,
• the student can no longer be denied an education
  for that behavior.

16
Manifestation

• Disability prevents child from either
• Knowing the behavior is wrong, or
• Controlling the behavior

17
Functional Behavior Assessment

• Team carefully defines and observes behavior.
• Team hypothesizes function of the behavior to the
  child.
• A replacement behavior that achieves the same
  function in an acceptable way is designated and
  taught.

18
Functional Behavioral Assessment, Contd.

• If improvement does not result, the function must
  be re-hypothesized or the replacement behavior
  re-examined or re-taught.
• The team does not stop until the behavior is
  under the students control.

19
Parents must be included on

• IEP team
• System of Care Team
• Functional Behavior Assessment team

20
Section 504 Plans

• If students behavior
• - does not meet IDEA criteria,
• - but does impede fair access to an education
• accommodations must be made.

21
Section 504 Plans, Contd.

• Enforced by Civil Rights Division, U.S.
  Department of Justice.
• Guidance counselors administer. (i.e. not under
  Exceptional Childrens Division)

22
References

• Teachers' Guide Providing Special Education
  Services to Students with BEH/Emotional
  Disabilities, (1999). North Carolina Department
  of Public Instruction, Exceptional Childrens
  Division Publication Number EC142.

23
References

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  Amendments of 1997, HR. 5, 105th Cong., 1st
  Sess.  (1997).

24
References

• Procedures Governing Programs and Services
  (2004). North Carolina Department of Public
  Instruction, Exceptional Childrens Division.

25
Resources

• Helpline, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
  North Carolina (NAMINC) 1-800-451-9682.
• Exceptional Childrens Assistance Center (ECAC)
  1-800-962-6817.

26
Resources

• Dornbush, M. Pruitt, S. Teaching the Tiger A
  Handbook for Individuals Involved in the
  Education of Students with Attention Deficit
  Disorders, Tourette Syndrome or
  Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. (1995).
  California Hope Press.

27
Resources

• Greene, R. (2001). The Explosive Child A New
  Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily
  Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children.
  New York HarperCollins.