THE CHAPEL OPERATES A 24-HOUR CRISIS SERVICE, AND BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF CALLS RECEIVED BY THIS SERVICE FROM ABUSING PARENTS AND ABUSED CHILDREN ASSUMED A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL CALLS, A SPECIALIZED GROUP WAS FORMED TO PROVIDE MORE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE IN THIS REGARD. COUNSELORS WORK MAINLY FROM THEIR OWN HOMES AND ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY ON A ROSTER BASIS. THEY WORK MAINLY OVER THE PHONE BUT ALSO VISIT HOMES, ACCOMPANY REFERRAL FOR TREATMENT, ARRANGE CHILD CARE, AND TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES TO SERVE IN ANY APPROPRIATE WAY. COUNSELORS DISCUSS THEIR CASES WEEKLY WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM AND WITH A CONSULTANT PSYCHOLOGIST. THE COUNSELOR'S FIRST STEP IS TO BUILD A ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CALLER AND THEN TRY TO OPEN UP COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HUSBAND AND WIFE, WHICH HAS OFTEN BEEN FOUND TO BE LACKING IN SITUATIONS OF ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL ABUSE. ONCE A RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN FIRMLY ESTABLISHED, PARENTS USE THE SERVICE IN MANY WAYS: TO RELEASE TENSIONS, TO RELIEVE LONELINESS, TO SORT OUT THE SOURCE OF THEIR ANGER, AS A SAFETY VALVE DURING THERAPY, TO FIND OUT WHAT COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE, AS A CONFESSIONAL AFTER ABUSE, TO TALK ABOUT ANGRY FEELINGS, TO REPORT THEIR PERSONAL SUCCESSES, AND TO REPORT LOSS OF CONTROL. THE SERVICE HAS FOUND THAT CALLERS OFTEN REPORT THAT THEY ABUSED THEIR CHILDREN AFTER SEEING THEIR THERAPIST AND THAT THERAPY SOMETIMES PRODUCES A STATE OF AGITATION LASTING AS LONG AS 24 HOURS. IT HAS ALSO BEEN NOTED THAT A SURPRISINGLY HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF CALLS COME FROM PARENTS WITH ADOPTED CHILDREN, THAT MARITAL AND POSTMARITAL PROBLEMS ARE COMMON AMONG ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL ABUSERS, THAT PREMENSTRUAL TENSION CAN ADD TO THESE PRESSURES, THAT MONEY TROUBLE, TRANSPORT AND SHOPPING PROBLEMS, FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY, AND HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN PLAY VARYING ROLES IN CHILD-THREATENING SITUATIONS. BASED ON ITS EXPERIENCE WITH OVER 2,000 ABUSE SITUATIONS, THE SERVICE HAS CONCLUDED THAT EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATED ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT: EDUCATION OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, AND OF THE MEDICAL AND MEDICALLY RELATED PROFESSIONS. NO REFERENCES ARE CITED. NO STATISTICAL DATA ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)