ABSTRACT
Most counseling services continue until either clients feel they have accomplished all they can or until counselors feel they have offered all they can. Since there in no preconceived notion of how long this should take, clients and counselors are free to continue as long as they wish. The goals of our family preservation service are much narrower. We continue only until the threat of out of home placement has been averted. Ours is a highly specialized service aimed only at the most disorganized families during the specific period when out of home placement is imminent. We do not have the funds to continue until a family’s goals are all accomplished. Other services in the community may have resources and families should be referred to them if they need additional help.
