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This paper describes each of eight current interrelated federally funded research projects conducted by the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health at the University of South Florida. For each project, information is provided on the project's background, purpose, methodology, and anticipated results. Project titles and principal investigators are: (1) "Developing a Framework for Assessing the Impact of Policies on Children with Emotional Disturbances and Their Families" (Robert Friedman); (2) "The Impact of Policy on Collaboration in Systems of Care for Children with Emotional Disturbance and Their Families" (Mary E. Evans, Barbara Morrison-Rodriguez, and Cheryl Cockram); (3) "The Urban School and Community Study: Effects of Systems Reform on Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities and Their Families" (Krista Kutash and Albert J. Duchnowski); (4) "Community-Based Theories of Change" (Mario Hernandez and Sharon Hodges); (5) "Health Care Tracking Project" (Mary Armstrong, Beth Stroul, and Sheila Pires); (6) "Impact of Managed Care and System of Care Policies on Service Access for Children with Culturally Diverse Backgrounds" (Paul Greenbaum and Eric C. Brown); (7) "The Child and Family Experience of the Mental Health System" (Katherine Lazear); and (8) "Development and Validation of an Instrument To Measure Interagency Coordination and Collaboration" (Paul Greenbaum and Eric C. Brown). (DB)

Proceedings are presented from a meeting designed to encourage and assist university-based researchers and public policy-makers in the formation of meaningful, long-term collaborations that would ultimately increase chances of competing successfully for research grants on the efficacy of services and systems of care for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. The proceedings emphasize the use of experimental design. Summarized presentations are offered in the following areas: "Relating Child and Adolescent Service System Program Goals to a Research Design"; "Issues in Resarch Design"; "Sampling Issues"; "Measures/Outcomes--System Outcomes"; "Measures/Outcomes--Client Outcomes"; and "Institutional Review Boards." Appendices, which comprise over half the document, include: (1) "Research on Service Delivery and Systems of Care: Recommendations for the NIMH Child Mental Health Research Plan"; (2) "Issues in Research Design" by Michael Hendricks; (3) "Vermont System for Tracking Client Progress"; (4) "Some Possible Measures for Improvements to the CASSP System and Service Delivery" by Michael Hendricks; (5) federal regulations on protection of human subjects; and (6) a list of four technical assistance resources. (19 references) (PB)