THE AUTHORS OUTLINE THE BEGINNINGS OF A SET OF APPROACHES THAT CAN BE CALLED A MULTIPLE-STRATEGY MODEL OF CHILD ADVOCACY AND HIGHLIGHT ITS USEFULNESS IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, THE APPROACHES OF CHILD ADVOCACY ARE CONTRASTED WITH TRADITIONAL CONCEPTIONS OF PROBLEM YOUTH. IN ESSENCE, THE AUTHORS STATE, IT IS THE CONCEPTION BEHIND THE CHILD ADVOCACY APPROACH, AND THEREFORE THE RATIONALE FOR ENGAGING IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS, THAT CONSTITUTES A WIDE DEPARTURE FROM TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES. THE AUTHORS DELINEATE A PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS THAT WILL INDICATES HOW THE MULTIPLE STRATEGIES ARE TO BE SELECTED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION. ADDITIONAL BRIEF COMMENTS DESCRIBE THE NEED FOR EVALUATION OF THE CHILD ADVOCACY APPROACH. THE SPECIFIC MODEL DESCRIBED WAS DEVELOPED FOR USE IN A PROGRAM WHOSE PURPOSE WAS TO EXAMINE THE RELATIVE EFFICACY OF VARIOUS APPROACHES FOR DIVERTING YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH THE TERMINOLOGY AND EXAMPLES USED REFLECT THE CONTEXT OF A DELINQUENCY INTERVENTION PROGRAM, THE MODEL IS NOT NECESSARILY RESTRICTED TO CONCERNS FOR YOUTHS IN LEGAL JEOPARDY. RATHER, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS APPROACH INDICATE AN INTEREST IN ALL YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM BEGIN TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JOINT COMMISSION ON MENTAL HEALTH OF CHILDREN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)