Proceedings are presented from a meeting designed to encourage and assist university-based researchers and public policy-makers in the formation of meaningful, long-term collaborations that would ultimately increase chances of competing successfully for research grants on the efficacy of services and systems of care for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. The proceedings emphasize the use of experimental design. Summarized presentations are offered in the following areas: "Relating Child and Adolescent Service System Program Goals to a Research Design"; "Issues in Resarch Design"; "Sampling Issues"; "Measures/Outcomes--System Outcomes"; "Measures/Outcomes--Client Outcomes"; and "Institutional Review Boards." Appendices, which comprise over half the document, include: (1) "Research on Service Delivery and Systems of Care: Recommendations for the NIMH Child Mental Health Research Plan"; (2) "Issues in Research Design" by Michael Hendricks; (3) "Vermont System for Tracking Client Progress"; (4) "Some Possible Measures for Improvements to the CASSP System and Service Delivery" by Michael Hendricks; (5) federal regulations on protection of human subjects; and (6) a list of four technical assistance resources. (19 references) (PB)