A SELECTIVE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE REFLECTS CONSIDERABLE FERMENT: QUESTIONING OF INSTITUTIONAL CARE AND TREATMENT, GROWING USE OF A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, AND EXPERIMENTATION WITH VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION. FOSTER HOMES, GROUP HOMES, HALFWAY HOUSES, AND DAY CARE ARE BEING USED INCREASINGLY WITH ALL AGES IN A RANGE OF PROBLEM AREAS. EXCEPT FOR THE CHILD WELFARE FIELD, THE USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES ON AN EXTENSIVE BASIS IS RELATIVELY NEW AND CONSEQUENTLY THERE IS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF FIRM CONCLUSIONS AND EMPIRICALLY VALIDATED DATA. MUCH OF THE LITERATURE CONSISTS OF OPINIONS, CLINICAL REPORTS, AND FRAGMENTED DISCUSSIONS OF INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES. A STRIKING IMPRESSION IS THAT WRITERS AND RESEARCHERS IN ONE PROBLEM AREA RARELY EXAMINE WHAT HAS BEEN FOUND OR WRITTEN IN OTHER PROBLEM AREAS. THUS, AUTHORS CONCERNED WITH HALFWAY HOUSES FOR ALCOHOLICS DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE REVIEWED THE WRITINGS ON HALFWAY HOUSES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL. RESEARCHERS AND WRITERS SEEM TO BE FOLLOWING SEPARATE PATHS WITH LITTLE SHARING OF EXPERIENCES, LIMITED EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, AND IGNORANCE OF OTHERS' KNOWLEDGE AND PROGRAMS. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR PRACTITIONERS, PLANNERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND RESEARCHERS IN DIVERSE FIELDS TO FIND WAYS TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS, EXPERIENCES AND RESOURCES IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT A MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM OF COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL SERVICES. CHARTS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)