The state of mental health services for children and adolescents: an examination of programs, practices and policies.

This article presents an overview of the state of mental health services for children and adolescents. It provides a brief historical review of policies affecting mental health services for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders. It discusses the roles of various systems in the provision services for emotionally and behaviorally disordered children and adolescents, and the need for cross-systems collaboration and funding. A model psycho-educational day treatment program. City Lights, is highlighted as an approach to serving inner-city African American adolescents with a profile of services and of the types of youth best served by such a program.