To explore the mental health needs of nonwhite populations in the U.S., Psychiatric Services this month begins a special quarterly series of articles. The journal solicited scientific papers on the mental health and psychiatric needs of African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. The papers were subject to the journal's peer review process before being accepted for publication. A common format for the papers, consisting of a brief description of the population, a discussion of the issues of assessment and evaluation, and a summary of information about the treatment needs of the particular group, was suggested to each author. Authors were also encouraged to acknowledge unique concerns and suggest research directions critical to the mental health care of the specified population.