The family plays both direct and indirect roles in the formal mental health services sector, from determining whether and when a child enters treatment to providing the context within which all therapeutic gains are played out. Providing a much-needed analysis, the contributors to this volume examine a myriad of policy, research, and practice issues related to families of children with serious emotional disorders.

Families and the Mental Health System for Children and Adolescents considers the characteristics of and service strategies for effective family-centered service delivery, the role that society can play in strengthening the family and preventing child and youth emotional disorders, the supports for and barriers inhibiting parent-professional partnerships, the complexities of assessing family functioning, and culturally sensitive service delivery.

Throughout this timely volume, the contributors take into account the complexity and diversity of families today and the consequent impact on service delivery at the societal and policy levels.