[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 45, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 45CFR1308.8]

[Page 166]
 
                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE
 
CHAPTER XIII--OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
                           AND HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 1308_HEAD START PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ON SERVICES FOR 
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart D_Health Services Performance Standards
 
Sec. 1308.8  Eligibility criteria: Emotional/behavioral disorders.

    (a) An emotional/behavioral disorder is a condition in which a 
child's behavioral or emotional responses are so different from those of 
the generally accepted, age-appropriate norms of children with the same 
ethnic or cultural background as to result in significant impairment in 
social relationships, self-care, educational progress or classroom 
behavior. A child is classified as having an emotional/behavioral 
disorder who exhibits one or more of the following characteristics with 
such frequency, intensity, or duration as to require intervention:
    (1) Seriously delayed social development including an inability to 
build or maintain satisfactory (age appropriate) interpersonal 
relationships with peers or adults (e.g., avoids playing with peers);
    (2) Inappropriate behavior (e.g., dangerously aggressive towards 
others, self-destructive, severely withdrawn, non-communicative);
    (3) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, or 
evidence of excessive anxiety or fears (e.g., frequent crying episodes, 
constant need for reassurance); or
    (4) Has a professional diagnosis of serious emotional disturbance.
    (b) The eligibility decision must be based on multiple sources of 
data, including assessment of the child's behavior or emotional 
functioning in multiple settings.
    (c) The evaluation process must include a review of the child's 
regular Head Start physical examination to eliminate the possibility of 
misdiagnosis due to an underlying physical condition.