THE CONTRIBUTION OF TREATMENT OUTCOME RESEARCH OF THE REFORM OF CHILDRENS MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICES - MULTISYSTEMIC THERAPY AS AN EXAMPLE

Service system reforms of the past decade have yielded innovations in type, accessibility, and cost of services provided for some children a nd families with serious problems, but few of the treatments delivered have been empirically evaluated Rigorous tests of well-conceived trea tments are needed to provide a solid foundation for continued reform. Multisystemic therapy has demonstrated efficacy in treating serious cl inical problems in adolescents and their multineed families and is an example of the successful blending of rigorous treatment outcome resea rch and service system innovation.