FOLLOWING A DISCUSSION OF THE ROLE PARAPROFESSIONAL, THE AUTHOR EXPLAINS HER A-B-C METHOD OF CRISIS COUNSELING, CONSISTING OF ACQUIRING THE FACTS, BOILING DOWN THE ISSUES, AND COPING WITH THE PROBLEM. THE COUNSELOR IS TAUGHT, WITH THIS METHOD, TO GET ENOUGH INFORMATION FROM THE CLIENT TO ALLOW HIM OR HER TO SUCCINCTLY SUMMARIZE THE PROBLEM AND CONFRONT IT. THE AUTHOR STRESSES THAT IT IS NOT THE COUNSELOR'S JOB TO OFFER SOLUTIONS, BUT TO SKILLFULLY HELP THE CLIENT FIND HIS OR HER OWN ANSWERS. THE TECHNIQUE IS DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE, THE AUTHOR NOTES. SPECIFIC CRISIS SITUATIONS ARE ALSO DISCUSSED, INCLUDING ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PROBLEMS AND AND THE ULTIMATE CRISES OF SUICIDE AND HOMICIDE. ALSO DETAILED ARE THE ETHICAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS WHICH ACCOMPANY THE OPERATION OF A CRISIS INTERVENTION CENTER, STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, REFERRAL AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES, ADMINISTRATION, AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE TEXT IS DESIGNED TO BE USED IN THE TRAINING OF PARAPROFESSIONALS, ALTHOUGH IT NEED NOT BE LIMITED TO THEM. AN INDEX IS APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).