Cultural Interventions for African American Families with Severely Emotionally Disturbed Children

Abstract

African American families of children who are diagnosed with a serious emotional disturbance (SED) often report that mental health services are not readily available, accessible, or culturally relevant. A case study is used to illustrate issues related to access and utilization of mental health services by African American parents with an SED child. Specific cultural interventions for African American families of children who are diagnosed with an SED are described.