Efforts to establish and expand comprehensive community-based systems of care (SOC) for children with serious emotional disturbance and their families have grown tremendously since the concept of systems of care was first described by Stroul and Friedman (1986). Most recently defined as: "an adaptive network of structures, processes, and relationships grounded in values and principles that provides children and youth with serious emotional disturbance and their families with access to and availability of necessary services and supports across administrative and funding jurisdictions," systems of care hallmarks include:

• The mental health service system is driven by the needs and preferences of the child and family, using a strengths-based, rather than deficit-based, perspective.
• Family involvement is integrated into all aspects of service planning and delivery.
• The locus and management of services are built on multi-agency collaboration and grounded in a strong community base.
• A broad array of services and supports that emphasize treatment in the least restrictive, most appropriate setting, is provided in an individualized, flexible, coordinated manner.
• The services offered, the agencies participating, and the programs generated are responsive to the cultural context and other characteristics of the populations being served.

As outlined in 1999 Annual Report to Congress, the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has had the primary responsibility for translating a system of care framework into a program of services and supports in grant communities around the country. Beginning with the creation of a service system infrastructure called the Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) in 1986 and culminating with the passage of the Children's and Communities Mental Health Services Improvement Act in 1992, CMHS has championed the development of community-based, family-focused, and culturally competent systems of care. Funding for these systems of care is provided through CMHS's Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program. CMHS has funded 130 grantees across the country. Currently, there are 63.

A method of measurement used to explore and document the degree to which service and support planning and delivery is consistent with system of care values and its approach to care is the System of Care Practice Review (SOCPR), developed by the Department of Child and Family Studies at the USF Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute. The SOCPR provides feedback that can enhance quality improvement efforts and is applicable at the direct service level and on a system-wide level. A complete SOCPR on-line training program detailing the three core values and ten guiding principles of the System of Care Philosophy is available to all SOC sites.