AS PART OF ITS OVERALL EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH IS ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH CENTERS PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF CARE. A SIX-PHASE STUDY EFFORT TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TASKS IS ENVISIONED: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE, DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF CONTINUITY OF CARE AND AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE CONTINUITY OF CARE, TESTING OF THE INSTRUMENT, APPLYING THE INSTRUMENT AT SEVERAL CENTERS, EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF WAYS TO IMPROVE CONTINUITY OF CARE, AND STUDIES OF THE IMPACT OF CONTINUITY OF CARE ON TREATMENT OUTCOME FOR CLIENTS. THE STATUS OF THE FIRST THREE PHASES CONSTITUTES THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS PAPER. CONTINUITY OF CARE IS EXAMINED IN RELATION TO MOVEMENT THROUGH A CENTER, THERAPISTS, COMMUNICATION, AND FOLLOWUP. THE PROPOSED CONTINUITY OF CARE INVENTORY IS VIEWED AS A MODEL THAT CAN BE ALTERED TO FIT PARTICULAR CONDITIONS AT INDIVIDUAL CENTERS, THEIR CAPACITY FOR EVALUATION, AND THEIR PROGRAM CONCERNS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. THE INVENTORY AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR ITS USE ARE APPENDED. (DEP)