New Chance was designed as a research and demonstration program to improve the economic status and general well-being of highly disadvantaged young women and their children. The program was directed toward mothers aged 16 to 22 who were high school dropouts and receiving welfare. Sixteen sites in 10 states that had some prior experience in serving the target population were selected for the project. The sites were provided with detailed guidelines and training to increase the potential for effective implementation and were required to make major adaptations in their initial offerings, usually by bringing on new staff and sometimes by modifying their objectives and basic mode of operation. Efforts were made to ensure staff communication and foster the integration of program messages. Recruitment required ongoing effort. Sites adopted various recruitment strategies, with welfare agencies a key source of program referrals. The 930 young women enrolled through December 1990 were a varied group, with differences among enrollees at the different sites especially pronounced. Sites followed program guidelines in offering the specified components: education, employability development, health and personal development services, and services to assist the development of enrollees' children. Some sites offered activities beyond those explicitly stated in the model. Although most participants received services in all program areas, absenteeism was a common and vexing problem. (Apendixes include site profiles, supplemental tables, and a list of 61 references.) (YLB)