This report focuses on the more than 7 million American children who suffer from mental disorders. It was written in response to a Congressional request for development of a national plan delineating how the National Institute for Mental Health would expand basic, clinical, and services research in the area of child mental health, and also describing how the critical shortage of manpower can be addressed. These topics are discussed: (1) dimensions of mental disorders among children and adolescents; (2) causes and determinants of mental disorders; (3) interventions for child and adolescent mental disorders; (4) service delivery and systems of care; (5) the problems and needs in the field of child and adolescent mental health research and suggestions to assure that a strong research infrastructure will permit continued rapid advances; (6) research dissemination and advocacy for child and adolescent mental health; and (7) National Institute for Mental Health budget and administrative recommendations. (ABL)