This paper summarizes several issues related to the mental health aspects of the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH) and its use in the field of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is characterized by multiple interventions, demanding extensive communication and coordination among different care providers. The ICIDH will be useful in the field of rehabilitation by providing a sound framework for consequences of diseases or disorders if clear descriptions and assessment guidelines of the categories are given. The development of dedicated assessment instruments linked to the ICIDH will be useful to many health workers to assess the needs of the patients, to evaluate services and to measure the outcomes of rehabilitation interventions, thus creating a common language for disablements.
