These effects were tested by randomly assigning families to 3-month and 6-month service contracts. At one site, families were assigned to a control condition with no specified service length. Location of service provision (home or office), target populations, and staffing pattern (teams or individual workers, combined or separate case management) varied among sites. Project findings supported prior research on family preservation services, including low rates of repeated maltreatment and positive changes in child, parent, and family functioning. In examining the effect of length of service on family outcomes, it was found that families in the 6-month group had a much lower placement rate than families in the 3-month group. The project identified several treatment variables that enhanced the effectiveness of family preservation services. 94 references