Empirical evidence suggests that the family system is under pressure i
n the United States. This evidence includes but is not limited to a si
gnificant increase in out-of-wedlock childbearing by teenagers, an inc
rease in the number of children living in families below the poverty l
evel, lack of available health care to large numbers of children and f
amilies, and a rising number of children dropping out of school. The a
uthors offer an analysis of the problems facing families, and a nation
al policy model for children and families is proposed.