Many disciplines must contribute skills to the assessment and management of child abuse cases, and most communities have formal and informal interdisciplinary networks of professionals who participate in these processes. Several principles are offered to ensure community organization is effective in dealing with child abuse. Community organization should result in the best possible long-term outcomes, provide services and interventions in an equitable manner, and facilitate communication between agencies and individuals who work with abused children and their families. Community organization should also be efficient and avoid duplication, adapt to local conditions, and provide services and interventions promptly. In addition, community organization should focus on assessment services, especially for sexually abused children, and should provide for an effective liaison between law enforcement and children's services. The author discusses the need for ongoing interventions and services for children and their families, the provision of abuse-focused mental health services, home-based prevention programs, and political and economic considerations in the community organization of services for abused children and their families. Common elements that should be part of most or all protocols for dealing with child abuse after the fact are listed. 11 references