The field of family therapy is a relatively new one, growing and gaining wider acceptance in the areas of social work, psychiatry, psychology, and community mental health. It has influenced the shift from individually oriented theory and techniques to a social systems approach, emphasizing the relationship between family members. While research remains to be done to demonstrate its utility in the Black community, the social systems approach appears to be one method that may be effective in treating Black families. The purpose of this paper is to examine three social systems treatment approaches, and to explore their applicability to the treatment of Black families. (Author)