This project summary focuses on the emerging social policy trend toward providing services which assist families in providing home care for their developmentally disabled family members, rather than encouraging out-of-home placement. Three project objectives encompass the issues of innovative approaches to family involvement in caring for disabled relatives, family financial planning for future care, and countering fiscal disincentives toward in-home placement. Objectives were achieved through a national survey of knowledgeable professionals, a literature review, preparation of five concept papers, and a working conference on family-based care. Among major findings were the identification of novel approaches to service design (initiation of statewide family support programs, utilization of private sector resources, utilization of tax policy, initiation of a national family allowance system), carefully worded trust arrangements as an effective means of financial planning, and an understanding of the effect of extraordinary health care costs on present placement decisions. The 13 recommendations which conclude the summary report reflect an overriding commitment to replace past biases in social policy and professional judgments that once favored out-of-home placement of developmentally disabled persons. (JW)