Federal support for adult day care centers began in the United States approximately 10 years ago. To examine the counseling practices in the adult day care centers across the country and to explore how the services are affected by the staffing patterns at these centers, 135 centers completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed programming, affiliation, staffing patterns and utilization, admission criteria, and family and counseling services. The results showed the diverse structures as well as the functions of the centers. Counseling services, in the broadest sense, were affected by the staffing patterns of these centers. The results also reflected the inadequacy of services offered to the families of the clients. Counseling was not recognized as a professional service needed by clients and their families, and was a rare service among the centers surveyed. The staffing patterns of these centers (e.g., health care providers versus psychosocial services providers) affected the scope and thrust of services offered. The historical argument of medical versus psychosocial models of day care centers is still unresolved as evidenced by the results of the study. The majority of the centers did not consider it their responsibility to help their clients to have access to services available through other community agencies. (This report also provides recommendations for the role of counseling in day care centers, including pre-admission counseling, on-going therapy, group counseling, and follow-up services. The survey questionnaire is appended.) (BL)