Dear Readers: I recently wrote an article about my training in PCIT, Parent-Child-Interaction Therapy. The model focuses on an empirically-based intervention with the goal of helping parents and children communicate better, and for parents of children with disruptive behavior disorders (such as ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorders, Conduct Disorders, among others) to learn how to diminish the inappropriate, defiant behaviors at the same time that they will increase the appropriate ones. I was very pleased to read the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, AACAP (The Orange Journal), when several articles addressed children's psychiatric disorders not by themselves, but as they related to parents' psychiatric disorders as well. Commentators conclude that it would be important to integrate child and adult mental health services. Thus, if a health care professional diagnosis a child with a psychiatric disorder, he/she should have it as standard practice to either assess mental health of the parents or to refer the adults to a physician/health care practitioner that diagnoses and treats adults. The same works for adults who are diagnosed by physicians: it would be helpful to not only recommend screening for their children but also to work on prevention of development of chronic psychiatric conditions. An example would be for an adult psychiatrist who just diagnosed an adult with severe social phobia and chronic anxiety to ask about this person's children. It is common knowledge that if children with anxiety are diagnosed and treated early in life, then the probability of them developing more chronic anxiety conditions is diminished. Another example would be a child who is diagnosed with ADHD. Usually the mental health worker gives homework, and behavior management tips to parents about their child's ADHD, and how to improve their symptoms by "coaching them". In addition, parents are responsible to give their children medications at specific times. However, it is known that ADHD is condition that is highly genetic as well, so treatment for children would be much more effective if their parents would be assessed for ADHD as well in order to increase the chances of treatment compliance and success. Thus, if you are seeking treatment for one person in your family, or if one of the people in your family is already in treatment, talk to the health and mental health professionals about possible symptoms and challenges that other members of the family may present. If you have any questions or comments about this article, please, do not hesitate to call or write to www.verajoffe.com