The report also discusses the status, operations, and achievements of the National Communications System mandated by the 1980 amendments to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. The report discusses the effectiveness of the centers in alleviating the problems of runaway youth, their ability to reunite families, their effectiveness in strengthening family relationships, and their ability to help youth decide upon a future course of action. The appropriation for support of the fiscal year 1984 national program for runaway and homeless youth was $23,250,000. The major focus of the Center Program during fiscal year 1984 was to continue the development of existing center programs and to provide financial assistance to new centers in underserved geographic regions of the Nation. The program also supported a major initiative in the funding of coordinated networks of agencies serving runaway and homeless youth and their families; provided short-term training and technical assistance to center grantees; and funded improvements to the technical operation, efficiency, and capacity of the National Switchboard. 13 tables and appended list of grantees