Multi-Problem Families: A Description of a Pilot Project Designed to Mobilize Neighborhood Resources to Improve Family Functioning, for a Selected Group of Public Assistance Multi-Problem Families

Background of the Study. During the past several years, much interest and concern has been directed toward the Multi-problem Family”. It is not that this is a new phenomenon; multi-problem families have been a concern to the community for many decades. Perhaps what is new is the worsening situation of the families, made worse by poverty, lack of resources and rejection, in practically every aspect of life. The multi-problem family is a family with many problems; with many overwhelming problems; problems which the families alone did not create and which they alone cannot relieve, but which in a large measure were created by the community. In describing some of the problems of these families, professional literature is replete with such gross characteristics as hard core”, hopeless”, and hard to reach . More specific characteristics include such features as chronic economic dependency, severe health problems, flighted housing, marital problems, illegitimacy, alcoholism, prostitution and drug addiction