In June 1998, the federal Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) contracted with the mental health program to identify, describe and help disseminate information on exemplary practices in the delivery of mental health outreach services to older adults. This project grew out of discussions concerning the need for regional and/or a national system of identification of exemplary practices in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of mental health services in general. The topic for this project was narrowed to exemplary practices in systems of care for older adults, and then, finally to exemplary practices in outreach to older adults. The project is seen as a pilot on the identification and dissemination of information on exemplary practices.