The 11 programs were initiated between 1974 and 1985; 6 in public agencies and 5 in private agencies. The programs are all committed to maintaining children in their own homes whenever possible; to focusing on entire families rather than individuals; and to providing comprehensive services that meet the range of families' therapeutic, supportive, and practical needs. The three distinct models are the crisis intervention model, the home-based model, and the family treatment model. The greatest similarities among the models are in the family characteristics and the commitment to placement prevention and family empowerment. The differences in program structure and treatment approach may well reflect underlying differences in theory and program goals. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of various models with different subpopulations as well as to evaluate the models with respect to their implicit objectives. Tables and 33 references