Abstract
Despite the serious problems faced by urban minority youth, services provided to such youth remain fragmented and uncoordinated. In this article we examine lessons learned from the community mental health movement in addressing the needs of a similarly disenfranchised population, individuals with psychiatric disabilities. A model alternative school intervention program is presented that draws on strategies developed within a community mental health center paradigm to provide a comprehensive model of service delivery to youth based on prevention strategies, a positive youth development approach, and culturally appropriate interventions derived in collaboration with the population served. Despite the lessons learned and progress made in servicing this multiproblem population, further work is needed to achieve full integration of school interventions and their home communities.
