The complexities of dealing with children or adolescents who have emotional disturbances often prompt professionals to suggest hospitalization or out–of–home placements. The Family–Based Mental Health Services program (FBMHS) takes a different tact: FBMHS embraces the family as a partner and resource in both treatment planning and implementation. The FBMHS team works in close partnership with the child and his or her family to identify strengths and to assess any areas of need; the child, family, and team then collaborate to develop a treatment plan based on the findings. In addition, FBMHS’s intense therapeutic interventions and support services further empower the family to care for a child with an emotional disturbance.