Jeannie Pasacreta, PhD  APRN is an  experienced clinician, researcher and educator with a well-established record  describing and managing the mental health consequences associated with dramatic world events and scientific strides  The importance of identifying individuals and families in need of mental health services and developing non pharmacologic strategies to promote change exemplifies Dr. Pasacreta’s past work and her future goals.  As a mother of school aged children, and a provider, educator, researcher, advocate and consumer of mental health services, she states her concern in a number of published forums regarding the need for and barriers to effective mental health service delivery in the United States.  Drug companies increasingly dictate the therapies that are deemed effective in  treating common psychological problems in adults and children because there are huge profits at stake and we are a society in need of instant gratification and easy cures. Other less aggressive therapies are becoming obsolete because they are  resource intensive and demand  a long term term,  problem solving approach to change.   Similarly, schools and social service agencies have increasingly adopted a punitive/ law enforcement model to address common psychological problems including violence, bullying, and abuse.  Ultimately these problems are community based, complex issues that can only be  addressed through multidimensional efforts aimed at enhancing communication, problem solving, tolerance and social reform.  The Shirt Tales concept encourages adults to take an active role in advocating for our nation’s children and future. There is no quick fix to the increasingly common problems that we hear about on the daily news.   We must foster hope, one relationship, one child, one problem at a time. We must get involved with schools, communities, vulnerable children, adults and families.  Shirt Tales is an attempt to move us in that direction by emphasizing that our future belongs to the children we relate to today.