The development and implementation of a rural consortium program to provide early, preventive school mental health services.

This article describes the development and implementation of a rural consortium of school-based programs for early detection and prevention of maladjustment. The program expanded considerably the reach of early services to young children. It also stimulated communication, interaction and support among professionals in participating districts. Program evaluation data provided evidence of its efficacy. Extensions of the consortium model to other rural districts are reported and the utility of the approach for addressing the mental health problems of children in under-resourced rural school districts is considered.