Explore our Dictionary & learn the meaning of commonly used terms
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BEHAVIORAL DISORDER – Displaying disruptive behavior in home, school or other settings.  A disorder characterized by displaying behaviors over a long period of time, which significantly deviate from socially acceptable norms for the individual's age and situation.BIPOLAR DISORDER – A mood disorder with elevated mood, usually accompanied by a major depressive episode.  Also known as manic depression.

BLANKET RELEASE FORM – A consent form allowing treatment, testing or release of information which does not specify the individual procedures or the distribution of information.

BOARD CERTIFIED – A term referring to the certification of psychiatrists through examination by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATION SERVICES (BOCES) – An entity that provides educational and vocational services for special-needs students
from a consortium of school districts.  Also provides high school occupational programs and GED preparation.

BRAIN-INJURY – A condition in which an individual before, during, or after birth has received an injury to or suffered an infection of the brain.  As a result of such organic impairment, there may be disorders that prevent or impede the normal learning process.

BULIMIA NERVOSA – An eating disorder that includes binge eating, often followed by self-induced purging, and persistent over-concern with body size, shape and weight.

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CARE COORDINATION – Brokering services for an individual to ensure that their needs are met and their services are not duplicated by the organizations involved in providing care.

CASE MANAGEMENT – A service that assists clients to obtain and coordinate community resources such as income assistance, education, housing, medical care, treatment, vocational preparation, and recreation .

CASE MANAGER – An individual who organizes and coordinates services for an individual.

CHARGE NURSE – Nurse in charge of a hospital unit.

CHILD PSYCHIATRIST – a physician (M.D.) specializing in mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders in children and adolescents.  Qualified to prescribe medication.

CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST – A mental health professional with a Ph.D. in psychology, who administers tests, evaluates and treats children's emotional disorders.  Cannot prescribe medication.

CHRONIC – Marked for long duration or frequent recurrence.

CLINIC – An OMH-licensed outpatient program which provides treatment designed to reduce symptoms, improve the individual's functioning, and provides ongoing support.  Services include assessment and treatment planning, medication, verbal therapy and discharge planning.

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER – A mental health professional trained to provide services to individuals, families, and groups.  Cannot prescribe medication.

CLINICIAN – An individual providing mental health services such as a psychologist, social worker or other therapist as distinguished from a researcher or investigator.

COGNITIVE THERAPY – A type of treatment in which distorted or erroneous thinking patterns are identified and corrected with the goal of alleviating troublesome feelings or behavior.

COLLABORATION – A helping relationship between a family member and a professional in a reciprocal relationship in which the family and professional share power and responsibility.  The relationship is grounded in the belief that the family of a child with an emotional disorder can be a resource to the professional and vice versa.

COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES – The practice of having the central point of services as well as management and decision-making responsibility at the community level.

COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY PROGRAM (CPEP) – A program including the following components: psychiatric evaluation, mobile crisis service, hospital-based crisis intervention and emergency room treatment, extended observation; referral for inpatient treatment, crisis residential and community services.

CONDUCT DISORDER – Repetitive and persistent patterns of behavior that violate either the rights of others or age appropriate social norms or rules.

CONFIDENTIALITY – The limiting of access to a child's records to his/her parents and personnel having direct involvement with the child.

CONSENT – Permission that is usually given by signing a form allowing a designated person to administer a test or treatments or for releasing information. Informed consent requires that the person giving the permission understand the risks, benefits and possible ramifications.

CONTINUING DAY TREATMENT – An OMH-licensed outpatient program designed to enhance functioning skills, and the ability to live in the community.  Provides services relating to assessment, treatment, medication, case management, rehabilitative skills training, and symptom management.

CRISIS RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT SERVICES – Short term, round the clock treatment provided in a non-hospital setting during a crisis.  The purpose of this treatment is to avoid hospitalization, stabilize the child and determine the next steps.

CRISIS TEAM – Services available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week during a mental health crisis.  The crisis team will determine the severity of the crisis and determine the next steps.  Also known as Emergency and Crisis Services, Emergency Services Programs, Crisis Evaluation Teams, Emergency Screening Teams.

COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION (CSE) – A federally mandated, local school district committee having authority to make decisions regarding special education, students served by it, and funds allocated for it.

CULTURAL COMPETENCY – The quality of acknowledging and respecting the culture, beliefs and values of ethnic groups other than one's own.  Applies to mental health system design, administration, programs and practices.

CUSTODY RELINQUISHMENT – The practice of requiring parents to surrender one's child into the custody of the state in order to obtain services at public expense.

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DAY TREATMENT – Community-based, non-residential program of services for children with emotional disorders.  It is the most intensive program available that still allows the child to remain in the house.

DECOMPENSATION – An increase in symptomatic behavior.

DEFENSE – an unconscious behavior or mental process that provides relief from anxiety or emotional conflict (examples: denial, blaming others).

DELIRIUM – A state of mental excitement and confusion, which may include disorientation to time and place, hallucinations, incoherence or similar symptoms.

DELUSION – A false belief firmly held despite proof or evidence to the contrary.

DEMENTIA – Deterioration of intellectual functioning, memory, and judgment.

DEPRESSION – A type of mood disorder characterized by low or irritable mood or loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities over a period of time.

DETOXIFICATION – The process of restoring physiological functioning after it has been seriously disturbed by alcohol, drugs, or other addictive substances.

DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS – Disorders that have predominate disturbances in normal development of language, motor, cognitive and/or motor skills.

DEVIANT BEHAVIOR – Breaking formal or informal rules or laws relative to social customs or norms, including sexual behavior.

DSM-IV – A reference manual of mental health disorders developed by the American Psychiatric Association.  Used by clinicians to understand and diagnose a mental health problem.  Also used by insurance companies to determine necessary services.

DUAL DIAGNOSIS – A diagnosis of an emotional disorder and another disorder, such as developmental delay, drug and alcohol use or a mental illness.

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EATING DISORDERS – Disorders that are manifested by gross disturbances in eating behavior, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

ELECTROCONVULSIVE TREATMENT (ECT) – The use of electric shock to relieve some symptoms of mental illness, especially acute depression.

ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG) – A record of the electrical activity of the brain used to diagnose brain dysfunctions.

EMOTIONAL DISORDER – A disorder exhibiting emotional, behavioral and/or social impairments that interfere with a child's academic, developmental and social progress, and family or other relationships.

EMPOWERMENT – The process, act or attitude of encouraging, supporting, facilitating or achieving self-determination.

EUPHORIA – An exaggerated feeling of physical or emotional well being.

EVALUATION – The process of collecting information about a child through a series of tests, observations and interviews which results in a opinion about a child's mental and emotional state.  May include recommendations about treatment or placement

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FAMILY BASED TREATMENT – A program in which seriously emotionally disturbed youngsters are placed with trained surrogate parents to promote successful functioning and reintegration into the family of origin, includes clinical supervision and respite.

FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM – Programs available in the community that assist children and their families so that children can remain in their homes, and all members of the family can live balanced healthy lives.

FAMILY THERAPY – A treatment model that involves interaction with family members and family interactions as well as with the individual.

FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT – A checklist used to indicate the functioning level of mentally ill persons in the areas of self-care, activities of daily living, social functioning, and ability to concentrate.

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HALLUCINATION – A visual, auditory, sensory, or other perception having no basis in reality.

HOME BASED SERVICES – Services provided in a family's home for a defined time to deal with a mental health problem.  The goal is usually to prevent the child from being placed out of the home (including hospitalization).

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IDENTITY DISORDER – Severe subjective distress caused by child's inability to achieve an integrated sense of self.

INCLUSION – An educational option for students with disabilities to be educated in a regular classroom in their neighborhood school with all necessary supports provided so that the student can participate fully.

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) – A federally mandated written individual plan of services for all children with disabilities who quality for special education.  It is developed jointly by parents and school personnel.

INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION – Mental health treatment in a hospital setting for 24 hours a day.  The purpose of inpatient hospitalization is to stabilize and provide treatment to a child who is in crisis and may be a possible danger to self or others.  It is also to diagnose and evaluate the child when this cannot be done in an outpatient setting.

INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT (ICM) – A program through which at-risk, severely mentally ill children have 24-hour, 7-day access to case managers with advanced professional credentials.  Designed to support community living and prevent psychiatric hospitalization.

INVOLUNTARY – Relates to a person who has a mental illness for which care and treatment in a mental hospital are essential to his/her welfare, whose impaired judgment prevents understanding of the need for such care and treatment, and who poses substantial threat of harm to self or others because of mental illness.

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LEARNING DISORDER – A chronic condition that interferes with development, integration and/or demonstration of verbal and/or non-verbal abilities.

LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT – An educational, treatment or living situation that provides appropriate services or programs for a child with disabilities while imposing as few limitations or constraints as possible

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MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODE – A mood disorder with a depressed mood that interferes with day-to-day functioning.

MANAGED CARE – A practice to supervise the delivery of health care services.  Managed care may specify the mental health providers a family can see as well as the number of visits and kinds of services that will be covered.

MANIA – A state of intense enthusiasm, energy, physical activity, elevated mood, agitation or similar manifestation.

MELANCHOLIA – A form of major depression characterized by loss of pleasure in activities, and problems relating to sleeping and eating.

MENTAL HEALTH – Mental health includes a person's feelings, thoughts and actions when faced with life's situations.  It also includes how people handle stress, relate to others, make decisions and see themselves.

MENTAL HEALTH ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION (MHATI) – A forensic intensive case management program through which eligible individuals may avoid serving time by accepting mental health, drug or alcohol treatment.

MENTAL ILLNESS – General term applied to severe emotional problems or psychiatric disorders.

MENTALLY ILL CHEMICAL ABUSER (MICA) – A term referring to an individual who is diagnosed with both mental illness and the abuse of chemicals (alcohol, drugs, or addictive substances).

MENTAL RETARDATION – Below normal intellectual functioning resulting in impaired learning, social adjustment and maturation.
NARCISSISM – A disorder characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, need for constant attention and admiration, and disturbances in interpersonal relationships.

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NETWORK – A program model in which providers from many service systems, including mental health, meet to resolve specific cases which a single system cannot address adequately.

NEUROLEPTIC – A drug that modifies psychotic behavior.

NEUROLOGIST – A medical doctor specializing in diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the nervous system.

NEUROSIS – An emotional disturbance of any kind other than psychosis.  Common neuroses include anxiety, depression and phobias.

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OBSESSION – An unwanted preoccupation with an idea or impulse.

OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER – An anxiety disorder manifested by intrusive and persistent thoughts (obsessions) or impulses and compulsive behaviors or rituals (compulsions).

OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER – The covert display of underlying aggression by patterns of obstinate, but generally passive behavior.  Children with this disorder often provoke adults or other children by the use of negativism, stubbornness, dawdling, procrastination, and other behaviors.

ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROME – Transient or permanent dysfunction of the brain caused by a disturbance of physiologic functioning.  Causes are related to toxic substances, aging or physical disorders.

OUTPATIENT – Treatment available in the community at a local mental health clinic or from private therapists.  Children receiving this type of treatment generally live at home.

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PARANOIA – A delusional disorder which can be characterized by feelings or persecution, grandeur or suspiciousness.

PERSONALITY DISORDER – A deeply ingrained disorder of which maladaptive patterns of relating, perceiving and thinking cause distress or impairment in functioning.

PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER – Extreme distortions or delays in the development of social behavior and language.

PHOBIC DISORDERS – Disorders that cause extreme and irrational anxiety when encountering particular situations, objects or activities.

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) – Anxiety disorder following a traumatic event.

PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN – A medical doctor who provides general health care and provides referrals to specialists when needed.

PRIMARY INSURANCE PROVIDER – The insurance company designated to cover medical costs when an individual is insured by more than one company.  For example, when each parent carries health insurance for the child, one company will assume the lead in covering costs; the other company can be billed for uncovered expenses.

PROGNOSIS – Prediction of the course of a disease.

PSYCHIATRIST – A medical doctor specializing in emotional, behavioral and mental disorders.  Qualified to prescribe medication and admit to hospitals.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION – An evaluation that tests a child's intelligence, aptitudes and abilities, social skills, emotional development and thinking skills.

PSYCHOLOGIST – A mental health professional with advanced training that can administer psychological tests, evaluate and treat emotional disorders.

PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIST – A psychiatrist who specializes in treating mental health disorders with medications.

PSYCHOSIS – A general term used to describe any of several mental disorders characterized by social withdrawal, distortions of reality, loss of contact with environment and disintegration of personality.

PSYCHOSOMATIC – A term describing a real or perceived physical disorder originating in, or aggravated by, the emotional state of the individual.

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RECIPIENT – A person receiving mental health services.

REPRESSION – The submerging of troublesome or painful ideas into the unconscious, where they nevertheless continue to affect the individual adversely.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES – Treatment in live-in facilities that provides educational instruction and 24-hour care for children with emotional disorders who require continuous medication and/or supervision or relief from environmental stresses.

RESPITE SERVICES – Temporary care given to an individual for the purpose of providing a period of relief to the primary caregivers.  Respite is used to decrease stress in the homes of persons with disabilities or handicaps, thereby increasing caregiver's overall effectiveness.  May be provided in the home or at another location.

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SCHIZO-AFFECTIVE DISORDER – A syndrome distinct from, but with similarities to, both schizophrenia and mood disorders.  May include a manic or depressive episode, hallucinations or delusions.

SCHIZOPHRENIA – A serious mental disorder characterized by verbal incoherence, severely impaired interpersonal relations, disturbance in thought processes, cognitive deficits, and inappropriate or blunted affect.  The child may also exhibit hallucinations or delusions.

SCHOOL PHOBIA – Fear of going to school associated with anxiety about leaving home and family members.

SCREENING – An assessment or evaluation for the purpose of determining the appropriate services for a client.

SECONDARY INSURANCE – The insurance company designated to pay for costs not covered by the primary insurance.  For example, when each parent carries health insurance for the child, one company will assume the lead in covering costs; the other company can be billed for uncovered expenses.

SERIOUS EMOTIONAL OR BEHAVIORAL DISABILITY/DISORDER – Emotional and/or social impairment in a child or adolescent that consequently disrupts the child's/ adolescent's academic and/or developmental progress, family and/or interpersonal relationships and has impaired functioning that has continued for at least one year, or has an impairment of short duration and high severity.

SIMPLE PHOBIA – Irrational fears of a specific object, activity or situation.

SOCIAL WORKER – A mental health professional trained to provide services to individuals, families or groups.

SOCIOPATH – A term sometimes used to describe persons with extreme disregard for and hostility toward society.

SOMATIZATION DISORDERS – A symptom found in a number of childhood disorders in which psychological or social factors contribute to physical symptoms.

STATUS OFFENSE – Non-criminal behavior of a child such as running away, truancy, and curfew violation, that can result in juvenile court action.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE/DEPENDENCE – The misuse of alcohol or drugs.

SUPPORT SERVICES – Transportation, financial help, support groups, respite services and other specific services to children and families.

SUPPRESSION – The conscious effort to conceal unacceptable thoughts or actions.

SYSTEMS OF CARE – A comprehensive spectrum of mental health and other necessary services are organized into a coordinated network to meet the multiple and changing needs of children with emotional disorders.

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TARDIVE DYSKINESIA – A condition characterized by abnormal movements that may develop in patients taking antipsychotic medications.  Typical movements include tongue protrusion or writhing, chewing, leg jiggling or movement of the neck, head or trunk.

THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE – A home where a child with emotional disturbances lives with trained foster parents with access to other support services.

THERAPEUTIC GROUP HOMES – Community based, home-like settings providing intensive treatment services with 24-hour supervision.  Services offered in this setting try to avoid inpatient hospitalization and move the child to a less restrictive living situation.

TOURETTE'S SYNDROME – A neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscular movements, uncontrollable vocal sounds, and inappropriate words.

TRANSITION SERVICES – Services needed by youth in transition, such as:

• Independent Living Skills
• Career Education
• Interpersonal Relationship Skills
• Leisure Time Training
• Job Placement
• On-Site Supervision
• Supervised Apartment Living
• Self-AdvocacyTraining
• Vocational Training

TREATMENT – Changing behaviors or other conditions related to the child's emotional or behavioral disorder, and/or helping the individual and his or her family to cope with the disability.

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UTILIZATION REVIEW – A process of evaluating the continued appropriateness of a mental health service for a particular individual.

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VOLUNTARY – Relates to a person who has a mental illness for which care and treatment in a mental hospital are appropriate and who is suitable for voluntary admission.

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WECHSLER TESTS – A series of verbal and performance tests widely used in school systems.  Three types are used:

1. WPPSE:  The Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence

2. WAIS-R:  The Adult Intelligence Scale (Revised); and

3. WISC or WISC-R: The Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised).

WITHDRAWING BEHAVIOR – Behavior characterized by reduced interest in or contact with other people, and can include absence of speech, regression to babyhood, exhibition of many fears, depression, and refusing contacts with other people.

WRAPAROUND SERVICES – The coordination of delivery of services to children and their families that is individually tailored to each family with the goal of keeping the family together in the community and being included in normalized school settings

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