`The authors of this superb book write about needs, financial issues and the effectiveness of youth health care programmes, in particular outpatient mental health services....I would heartily recommend this book to school and community nurses, doctors, health visitors, social workers, youth services, psychologists, psychiatric nurses and teachers in health education/promotion. Reserachers, graduate students and practitioners who want the latest synthesis on the topic of mental health services for children and families will all find this volume a stimulating read and a projection for possible future directions, discussion and research' - International Journal of Health Promotion & Education









As the United States approaches the millennium, how will it address the mental health needs of its youth? The contributors of this volume grapple with this issue and provide fodder for discussions on how to insure and improve the future health care of our children. Beginning with an overview of children's health care from colonial times to the present, the leaders in this field address such issues as: the Federal governments'involvement in health care services for low income families; the two major models for service delivery, the effectiveness of outpatient mental health services; the most effective forms of intervention for changing specific dysfunctional behaviours; the financial issues of health care delivery, including ways to increase cost effectiveness; and, the issues of psychopharmacology versus `talk' therapies.