Burnout is a condition that exacts a heavy toll on individual and organizational effectiveness. In this paper stress and burnout are defined and their relationship to each other is identified. A model for stress is developed so that intervention strategies can be based on practical and conceptual grounds. Burnout in human service organizations is also identified, and six conditions that contribute to burnout in organizations are explored: lack of funds, lack of flexibility, lack of decision making powers for middle managers, task overload, little recognition for efforts, and nature of client population. One strategy for preventing burnout is the instituting of a social-professional support group which provides opportunities for organizational and individual assessment, a method to reduce conflict, feedback and rewards, timeouts for individuals, and screening procedures for new counselors. (Author)