The manual delineates the roles of the mental health professional in identification, treatment, and prevention of child maltreatment. Chapters cover the following topics (sample subtopics in parentheses): nature of child abuse and neglect (definitions, extent, and causes); reasons for involvement by mental health professionals (mental health and community, legal, and ethical issues); reporting child abuse and neglect (state laws and difficulties encountered); assessment and treatment planning (assessment of parents, assessment of children, and the evaluation report); treatment (treatment goals, treatment alternatives, and treatment for parents); the mental health professional's involvement with the courts (the role of the courts and testimony); support of the child protection system (development of agency capabilities, development of an interagency network, and community coordination); and prevention (mental health based programs, mental health-community programs, and public awareness programs). Appended are federal standards applicable to the role of the mental health professional and a sample qualified service organization agreement. (DB)