Therapists entered the homes of 80 families in crisis and stayed for extended periods of time to prevent one or more family members from being placed in group homes, foster homes, or institutional care. Techniques used included crisis intervention, effectiveness training, assertion training, fair fight techniques, and behavior modification. Preliminary results indicated success in preventing outside placement for 121 out of 134 family members at a savings of over $2,300 per client, compared to projected cost of placement. Follow-up, which covered 16 months of service delivery, indicated that 97% of those avoiding placement continued to do so. Specific procedures used and possible reasons for success are discussed.When families become so disturbed that efforts of outpatient therapists, child welfare workers, probation officers, crisis clinic staff, and youth advocates all fail, removal of at least one family member to an institution or alternative living situation is the most common course of action. This occurs despite the fact that institutional care is extremely expensive and despite the knowledge that exposure to an institutional setting often leads to additional antisocial behavior and further self-deprecatory attitudes. When outside placement is necessary, family members remaining at home also suffer from feelings of loss, inadequacy, and hopelessness. Positive change as a clear result of removal of persons from the home occurs at high psychological, social, and monetary expense.It is likely that most mental health professionals and paraprofessionals make many of these referrals because they see no other way to prevent the situation from becoming worse. The present program is based on the

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