Adolescence is the peak onset period for serious and persistent psychiatric disorders. Treatment guidelines for management of major psychiatric disorders in youth include pharmacotherapy. There has been substantial progress in recent years in identifying effective medications for youth with psychiatric disorders. However, adherence to prescribed medications among psychiatric populations is notoriously low, and adolescents rank among the least adherent of all patient populations. Given that the consequences of poor medication adherence among youth with chronic mental illness are far-reaching, including hospitalization, poor functioning, and suicide, there is a desperate need for interventions targeting medication adherence in this population.