This paper describes a project which is attempting to strengthen existing programs and develop new forms of support for rural children and their families. The setting of the project is a three-county area in south-western Pennsylvania which has been designated as "underserved" in reference to health and mental health facilities. The program's population is 36,000 children under the age of six. The project staff consists of faculty members from the Department of Psychiatry and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh. This staff is working in collaboration with representatives of the human service network in the three-county area. Data from the catchment areas indicate that the project has had a significant impact on the services provided to children. Local people have been trained as child development specialists, and these specialists have served as consultants, program planners, and advocates for young children. The project has demonstrated the advantages of coordinated efforts between mental health professionals in an urban university and a rural area. (Author)