While continuing education is vital to all practicing social workers, human service workers in rural areas that are undergoing rapid change due to energy development may face particular problems in obtaining additional training and education. When rural areas become boom towns and social disturbances increase, human services personnel generally experience increased caseloads and new roles and responsibilities. However, because most boom towns do not have formalized planning mechanisms, social workers find themselves without the training necessary in their new circumstances. In addition, distance, weather, narrow professional orientation, lack of federal funding, and training materials focused on urban issues can be negative incentives to further human services training. Consequently, each small town and each state should have a body responsible for planning, coordinating, and evaluating continuing education for human service workers. The planning bodies should assess needs and formal and informal resources in rapidly developing towns. The planning bodies should use all local resources available and some outside consultants (such as university personnel) to provide a full array of social services. Continuing education programs for social service workers should be based on needs assessments, should be versatile, should capitalize on advances in instructional technology, and should be carefully evaluated. (SB)