LARGE SCALE EMPLOYMENT OF THE UNEMPLOYED POOR AS NONPROFESSIONALS IN THE HUMAN SERVICES IS BEING PROPOSED AS A MAJOR DETERRENT TO POVERTY. SOME PROPONENTS STATE THAT NOT ONLY WILL LARGE NUMBERS OF POOR PEOPLE BE EMPLOYED, BUT THE QUALITY OF SERVICES WILL BE IMPROVED. CRITICS OF THIS APPROACH ARGUE THAT MANY POOR PERSONS ARE TOO DEBILITATED BY THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY TO ASSUME ROLES THAT WOULD BE MEANINGFUL RATHER THAN MENIAL AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICES WOULD BE DETERIORATED. THE MAJOR ISSUES INVOLVED ARE--(1) THE CAPABILITY OF THE POOR TO ASSUME BOTH JOBS AND CAREERS IN HUMAN SERVICES, (2) TRAINING THE POOR FOR JOBS AND CAREERS, (3) THE RESPONSES OF PROFESSIONAL GROUPS TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF NEW NONPROFESSIONALS, AND (4) ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW CAREER PROGRAMS. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE CONFERENCE ON THE USE OF NONPROFESSIONALS IN MENTAL HEALTH WORK (WASHINGTON, D.C., MAY 3-5, 1967). (ES)