Serious Emotional Disability (SED)

Definition:

A child with a Serious Emotional Disability (SED) shall have emotional or social functioning which prevents the child from receiving reasonable educational benefit from general education. Students with serious emotional disabilities are diverse learners with needs in the areas of:

Social Skills Training (relationships, problem-solving, focusing, conflict resolution, self-advocating, building support systems)
Emotional regulation training (impulse control, anger management, anxiety and depression management, coping with trauma, increasing frustration tolerance)
Behavioral supports (functional behavior assessments, behavior intervention plans, accommodations)

What's New

Mental Health Office Hours 2026-27

Please join us for the 2026-2027 Mental Health Office Hours Series hosted by Bill Brown and presented by Dr. Tyler Anderson.

The Mental Health Office Hours series will take a deep dive into the world of clinical mental health diagnosis and clinical mental health services and treatment approaches. The discussion will focus on how the presented clinical mental health information can be adapted and used appropriately within schools to better meet the needs of students with significant mental health needs. Each session will have a 30-minute presentation and a 30-minute question and answer period.

Dates & Topics

The Mental Health office hours will be held from 8:00 - 9:00 AM on the Tuesday dates:

Thursday, October 15, 2026 - Topic: Behavior as Communication
Thursday, November 19, 2026 - Topic: Escalation Regulation
Friday, December 11, 2026 - Topic: Behavior as Communication
Thursday, February 25, 2027 - Topic: Effective Reinforcement Strategies
Thursday, April 22, 2027 - Topic: Sleep

Registration

Due to logistical requirements, all participants must register no later than two weeks in advance for each office hour.

Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) Course

Participants who complete this course will receive a CDE certificate for 2 hours.

In this course participants will:

learn how to conduct the Manifestation Determination Review process.
learn what questions needs to be asked in the Manifestation Determination process and the possible outcomes of the Manifestation Determination Review.
learn about how Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plans fit into the Manifestation Determination Review Process.

This course is designed for and open to State of Colorado Educators.

Access the MDR Course

Not a Colorado Educator?

If you are not a Colorado public educator, you may access a noncredit version of the course. It does not include the assessments and the CDE credit hours are not available for this version of the course, but it has all the same videos and information.

View Noncredited MDR Course

Protection of Individuals from Restraint and Seclusion Act (PPRA)

The Colorado Department of Education has available a self-guided, self-paced Moodle course on Protection of Individuals from Restraint and Seclusion Act (PPRA) Regulations. This course covers the Restraint and Seclusion regulations (PPRA) and will also share the changes to PPRA from House Bill 22-1376.

Additional Related Resources

Professional
Development

SED/Behavior PD Page

On-demand Webinars
Online Events
Online Courses
By-request Trainings

SED/Behavior Resources

General Resources

Serious Emotional Disability (SED) Task Force/Affective Needs Committee

The SED Task Force/Affective Needs Committee is comprised of teachers, administrators, and related service personnel, professors from Institutions of Higher Education, and parent advocates from throughout Colorado. This group advises the Colorado Department of Education on the statewide needs of this population and those who serve them. Their expertise is utilized for workgroups to develop trainings and products to assist educational teams in meeting the needs of this very diverse population.

Listserv

The Social/Emotional/Behavioral listserv is a place for teachers and service providers working with students with Significant Emotional Disabilities to find information, encouragement, and networking opportunities.

We know that many times those working with students with significant needs may be isolated and lack the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues or find the expertise they need in a timely and safe setting. This is a place to ask questions, have discussions, and share ideas with those in the field that are having the same experiences. To subscribe, contact email Bill Brown with your contact information.

Questions?

For more information about Serious Emotional Disability, please contact:

Bill Brown
Email: brown_w@cde.state.co.us
Phone: 720-603-3000