Three papers describe varied approaches for helping patients and families when a family member has a mental illness. These papers include research findings on treatment outcomes, causal theories of mental illness, and alleged associations between family system functioning and the mental illness of a family member. One paper describes a research-based 'functional family therapy approach' for helping families with a delinquent child, and another surveys the research and theory literature on child neglect. Other papers outline a research-based approach for helping families who neglect a child; survey the theory and research literature on substance abuse, with special attention to alcoholism; and describe an approach to families troubled with the drug addiction of a juvenile member. A review of the trends, research, and theory that link family-life factors to involvement in crime and delinquency is followed by two papers on legislation and social policy relevant to mental health patients and their families. 420 references, subject index.