HELP LINES REPRESENT AN INNOVATION IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND MOST ARE MODELED AFTER CRISIS INTERVENTION HOTLINES RESULTING FROM THE WAVE OF DRUG ABUSE IN THE LATE 1960'S. THE MAJORITY OF COMMUNITY CRISIS INTERVENTION HOTLINES RECEIVE CHILD ABUSE CALLS AND MANY INCLUDE CHILD ABUSE AS ONE TOPIC IN VOLUNTEER TRAINING. TWO PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT HELP LINES ARE TO PROVIDE PARENT OR CHILD CALLERS WITH SYMPATHETIC AND NONJUDGMENTAL LISTENERS AND TO OFFER INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES. IN LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS, MOST HELP LINES HAVE VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE TO VISIT HOMES OR CONTACT APPROPRIATE PUBLIC AGENCIES (RESCUE SQUAD, POLICE, OR PROTECTIVE SERVICES) TO INTERVENE. SOME CHILD ABUSE HELP LINES ARE RUN DIRECTLY BY HOSPITALS, PROTECTIVE SERVICE AGENCIES, AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. IN ADDITION THERE ARE AUTONOMOUS AND GENERAL CRISIS INTERVENTION HELP LINES. AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF MANY CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT TREATMENT PROGRAMS IS THE 24-HOUR HELP LINE. THE LIST OF HELP LINES INCLUDING ORGANIZATION NAMES, ADDRESSES (CITIES AND STATES), AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS, WAS COMPILED FROM INFORMATION COLLECTION IN SEMIANNUAL NATIONAL SURVEYS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PROGRAMS UNDERTAKEN FROM 1975 TO 1978. APPROXIMATELY 50 HELP LINES ARE NOTED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (DEP)