MOST OF THE PUBLISHED LITERATURE IN THE FIELD OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT FOCUSES ON CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSIVE/NEGLECTFUL FAMILIES AND ON ISSUES RELATED TO REPORTING AND NONREPORTING OF CASES. THERE IS RELATIVELY LITTLE INFORMATION WHICH DEALS WITH THE STATE-OF-THE-ART IN PROGRAM PLANNING, CASE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT, AND THE ROLES OF GOVERNMENT IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT EFFORTS. THE PRIMARY INTENT OF THIS WORK IS TO TAKE AN INITIAL STEP TOWARD FILLING THIS GAP. THIS DOCUMENT IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS: THE FIRST PRESENTS EIGHT PROGRAM CASE STUDIES, AND THE SECOND A SYNTHESIS OF WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED BOTH FROM THE LITERATURE AND FROM SITE VISITS TO EACH OF THE EIGHT PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAMS INCLUDE TWO HOSPITAL-BASED PROGRAMS; TWO PRIVATE, NONPROFIT, AGENCY-BASED PROGRAMS; TWO PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY PROGRAMS; AND TWO COMMUNITY-BASED TEAM PROGRAMS. EACH PROGRAM SITE WAS VISITED FOR UP TO A WEEK BY A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND A PROGRAM ANALYST. THE SUPERVISOR AND TREATMENT STAFFS WERE INTERVIEWED, AND THE PROGRAMS WERE EVALUATED REGARDING THEIR STARTUP, OBJECTIVES, AUSPICES, COSTS AND SOURCES OF FUNDING, FACILITIES, COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPANT CHARACTERISTICS, STAFFING, PRIMARY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, THE SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM, AND COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION. THE SECTIONS ON CASE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT PRESENTED WITHIN EACH PROGRAM CASE STUDY PROVIDE DETAILED REPORTS ON THE TREATMENT OF ACTUAL CASES. EACH OF THE PAIRS OF PROGRAMS OPERATING UNDER A SINGLE TYPE OF AUSPICE IS INTRODUCED WITH A BRIEF STATEMENT WHICH HIGHLIGHTS DIFFERENCES IN APPROACH AND EMPHASIS. PART II PRESENTS AN OVERVIEW OF THE THEMES AND ISSUES DETAILED INDIVIDUALLY IN THE FIRST PART. CRITERIA FOR AND DEFINITIONS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE DEALT WITH, AS ARE CASE REPORTING AND INCIDENCE, CHARACTERISTICS AND DYNAMICS OF ABUSERS/NEGLECTERS, CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT, IDENTIFICATION, CASE MANAGEMENT, TREATMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES, HEALTH AND CHILD CARE SYSTEMS, AND EDUCATIONAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS. THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT EACH PROGRAM SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST TWO STAFF MEMBERS EXTENSIVELY TRAINED IN THE PROBLEMS AND TREATMENT OF ABUSE, AT LEAST ONE CONTINUING THERAPY GROUP FOR ADULTS, A DEMONSTRATED CAPABILITY FOR WORKING WITH CLIENTS IN THEIR HOMES, A WEEKLY CASE CONFERENCE WITH THE CHILD ABUSE TEAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF SHARING CASES AND TREATMENT SKILLS, AND ONE MEMBER OF THE TEAM WHO PARTICIPATES ON A COMMUNITY CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT COMMITTEE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED, AS ARE REFERENCE NOTES AT THE CLOSE OF EACH CHAPTER. (KBL)