PROFESSIONALS AND RECOVERING CHILD ABUSERS DISCUSS CHILD ABUSE AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND THE PRESSURES OF THE AMERICAN LIFE STYLE TO ABUSE. TREATMENT OF ABUSERS AND FAMILIES IN CRISIS DEPENDS UPON THE PERSONAL COMMITMENT AND UNDERSTANDING OF PROFESSIONALS. THE CEDAR HOUSE IN LOS ANGELES (CALIF.) IS A THERAPY CENTER WHERE BOTH PARENTS AND CHILDREN CAN COME FOR HELP. THE EMPHASIS IS ON ACCEPTANCE; PLAY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE THERAPY. CEDAR HOUSE ALSO RUNS A HOTLINE FOR POTENTIAL ABUSERS. PARENTS ANONYMOUS IS A NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATION WHICH USES EX-ABUSERS TO COUNSEL AND HELP POTENTIAL ABUSERS. THE PROGRAM IS BASED ON SELF-HELP AND STRESSES TAKING POSITIVE STEPS TO COUNTER THE TENDENCY TO CHILD ABUSE. PARENTS ANONYMOUS SPONSORS MEETINGS FOR PERSONS WITH ABUSE PROBLEMS. MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE A NETWORK OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO DEAL WITH THE ABUSER AND THE ABUSED, BUT MANY OF THESE COMMUNITY SYSTEMS ARE FRAGMENTED AND LACK DIRECTION. THE TRAUMA COUNCIL, A CONCEPT USED IN THE LONG BEACH (CALIF.) AREA, IS SUGGESTED FOR COMMUNITIES WITH INEFFECTIVE COMMUNITY CHILD ABUSE PROGRAMS. THE COUNCIL WORKS AS A COLLECTIVE SPOKESPERSON FOR ANTICHILD ABUSE EFFORTS, ARRANGING COMMUNICATIONS AMONG OVER 50 AGENCIES. (DAG)