Computer Assisted Adolescent Referral System (CAARS): an innovative health, mental health, and social service referral program for youth.

The Hollywood, California, neighborhood is a magnet for high-need youths who run away from home. These youths have many service needs. The Computer Assisted Adolescent Referral System (CHARS) is designed to assist youths in gaining access to services, support youth-serving professionals in making referrals, and identify high-risk youths in multiple settings. The system, which is self-evaluating, is a health, mental health, and social system, database with over fifty service organizations listed and twenty-five types of services available. The Measurement Group (TMG), in collaboration with Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), developed CAARS in 1995 as a freestanding program. Funding was provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Program. The Web version (http://www.caars.net) was created in early 1998 in order to increase access to an earlier, stand-alone version of CAARS, and provide a way for those who serve youths throughout the region to learn about local services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]