BASIC GOALS OF THE CONSORTIUM ARE TO DISCOVER WAYS OF MEETING THE NEED FOR EVALUATION INFORMATION IN THREE AREAS: (1) REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL FUNDING AGENCIES; (2) MODIFICATION OF ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO SERVE CHANGING NEEDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE; AND (3) LONG-RANGE PLANNING FOR THE DELIVERY OF THERAPEUTIC AND PREVENTIVE PROGRAMS. THE FRAMEWORK FOR WORKING TOWARD THE CONSORTIUM'S GOALS INVOLVES VARIOUS LEVELS OF EVALUATION, INCLUDING ASSESSMENT AND MODIFICATION OF EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION TECHNIQUES IN THE SERVICE SETTING, EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNIQUES, AND EVALUATION OF THE CONSORTIUM ITSELF AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING USEFUL AND RELIABLE EVALUATION METHODS AT THE SERVICE LEVEL AND COMMUNICATING THE RESULTS OF EVALUATION TO OTHER MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES. TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED BY THE CONSORTIUM IN RESEARCH AND REPORTING PROCEDURES INVOLVE CLIENT OUTCOME MEASURES, CONTINUITY OF CARE MEASURES, AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT. MEMBERS OF THE CONSORTIUM SUBMIT STANDARDIZED PROGRESS REPORTS BASED ON CRITERIA OF RELIABILITY, PRACTICALITY, AND UTILITY ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. EVALUATION TECHNIQUES CONSIDERED BY THE CONSORTIUM ARE GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING, THE AUTOMATED TRI-INFORMATION GOAL-ORIENTED PROGRESS NOTE, MEAN RATINGS OF PROGRAM MANAGERS IN SELECTING PROGRAM PRIORITIES, A CONTINUITY OF CARE INVENTORY (CLIENT MOVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO NEED, STABILITY OF CLIENT-PROVIDER RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNICATION AMONG PROVIDERS RELATIVE TO CLIENTS, AND EFFORTS TO RETRIEVE CLIENTS WHO PREMATURELY DROP OUT OF TREATMENT), EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEYS, FORMAL OPEN-ENDED INTERVIEWS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND AGENCY PERSONNEL, PANEL ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES, CONTENT ANALYSIS PROCEDURES, USE OF DIARIES AND DAILY SCHEDULE REPORTING TECHNIQUES, PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION STUDIES, INFORMAL INTERVIEWS WITH A CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, AND COMMUNITY FORUM-TYPE MEETINGS. DATA, ILLUSTRATIONS, AND EVALUATION FORMS ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)