Evaluation provides a relatively objective means of assessing which programs, services, and systems are the most effective and cost efficient for children and youth suffering from a diagnosable mental disorder.

A special book for professionals examining programs in the real world, Evaluating Mental Health Services addresses issues concerning services delivered in communities for children and youth with emotional and behavior disorders and their families. The contributors discuss some of the most recent evaluation efforts conducted to examine the effectiveness of systems of care or specific intervention strategies.

While describing their individual research efforts, these experienced contributors address many of the issues facing researchers conducting mental health evaluation, some of the limitations of evaluation in children's mental health services, and the implications for future research in this area.

Valuable for both researchers and practitioners, Evaluating Mental Health Services provides key information to those in fields including evaluation/research methods, family studies, developmental psychology, public policy, and social work.