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Adults with Mental Illness and
Children with Severe Emotional Disturbance
The Michigan Mental Health Code defines mental illness as “a substantial disorder of thought or mood that significantly impairs judgment, behavior, capacity to recognize reality, or ability to cope with the ordinary demands of life.” Serious mental illness has a far more complex definition, but the outstanding characteristic of a serious mental illness is that it has resulted in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. Approximately 50% of people with mental illness also have a substance use disorder – which is commonly referred to as a “co-occurring disorder” or “dual diagnosis”.
Like adults, children and adolescents can have mental health disorders that interfere with the way they think, feel, and act. When a child has a mental illness, it is typically referred to as a “serious emotional disturbance”. A serious emotional disturbance means a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that severely disrupts a child or adolescents ability to function socially, academically, and emotionally, at home, in school, or in the community, and has been apparent for more than a six month period.
To determine eligibility for services, contact the St. Clair County Community Mental Health ACCESS Customer Service hotline Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at 1-888-225-4447. Crisis help also is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Visit the links to the left for more information about specific mental illnesses and serious emotional disturbances.
Mental Illness – Links of Interest:
Serious Emotional Disturbance – Links of Interest:
