This article describes the educational and functional status of youth served in joint education and mental health programs nested within two counties implementing the California System of Care Model for youth with severe emotional disturbance. The goals of the study were to (a) describe the demographic, educational, and clinical characteristics of youth served in education/mental health programs; (b) understand the relationship between functional status and academic achievement of these youth; and (c) compare these youth with matched peers involved in the broader system of care. Children and adolescents in the education/mental health programs were primarily Anglo-American boys with low academic achievement and high levels of functional impairment. Functional status and academic achievement were not related. Youth served in the specialized programs were more functionally impaired than youth served in the broader care system. This study provides evidence that youth served in education/mental health programs have the types of multisystem needs that may warrant multiagency collaboration and services.
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