HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ARE CURRENTLY CRITICIZED FOR BEING RIGID, INSENSITIVE, INEFFICIENT, AND INEFFECTIVE. THREE DIAGNOSTIC APPROACHES IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE PROCESS ARE THE MAINTENANCE APPROACH, IN WHICH BEHAVIOR IS RATIONAL AND REACTIVE AND THE FINAL PRODUCT IS UNKNOWN; THE CRISIS APPROACH, IN WHICH BEHAVIOR IS RATIONAL BUT REACTIVE, AND THE FINAL PRODUCT IS UNKNOWN; AND THE STATUS-SEEKING APPROACH IN WHICH BEHAVIOR IS IRRATIONAL AND REACTIVE, AND THE FINAL PRODUCT IS UNKNOWN. TWO POSSIBLE INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES ARE THE CONFRONTATION MEETING AND THE SURVEY FEEDBACK METHOD. POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS TO EFFECT CHANGE ARE EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES AND THIRD PARTY PEACEMAKING ACTIVITIES. FACTORS MANAGEMENT MUST CONSIDER IN DECIDING ON CHANGE INCLUDE MANAGEMENT ATTITUDES, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S TERM OF OFFICE, THE MOST APPROPRIATE OF ENTRY INTO A SYSTEM, SOURCES OF EXPERTISE, RISKS INVOLVED IN RAISING EXPECTATIONS, AND THE TYPE OF FEEDBACK PROCESS TO BE USED. UNDERSTANDING OF THE REASONS CHANGE PROGRAMS FAIL AND OF WAYS TO REDUCE RESISTANCE TO CHANGE ALSO IS IMPORTANT. AN EFFECTIVE CHANGE PLAN IS PURPOSEFUL, TASK SPECIFIC, INTEGRATED, TEMPORAL, ADAPTABLE, APPROVED BY THE LEADERSHIP, AND COST EFFECTIVE. THE CRITICAL PATH METHOD IS A USEFUL WAY FOR DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE ACTION PLANS. THREE CASE STUDIES ON CHANGES IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS ILLUSTRATE THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC AND CHANGE PLANNING PROCESSES. A FIGURE AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)