Although these studies begin to address the urgent need for systematic information tracking of the prevalence and distribution of mental disorders as well as patterns of service utilization as called for in the US Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health,11 national data are still unavailable. The absence of empirical data on the magnitude, course, and treatment patterns of mental disorders in a nationally representative sample of US youth has impeded efforts essential for establishing mental health policy for this population.9,96,97,114-116
