Following the extended Australian drought of the 1990s, a review was undertaken to assess the programs and services that support farm families and respond to their welfare needs. A total of 43 service providers and 21 farm families were interviewed in New South Wales and Queensland. Following an introduction and description of methodology, the third section of this report summarizes support services and assistance for farm families provided by federal, state, and private agencies. Programs and services covered financial support for farmers during exceptional circumstances, grants for training in agricultural and business skills, family counseling services, legal services, social security and welfare services, youth services, education and training, health services, and information services. Educational services included allowances for secondary students living away from home, grants to train farm employees, health promotion and education, training of rural health workers, and vocational training and guidance. The fourth section examines families' service-related experiences and preferences, including reasons for seeking assistance, use of charity and unofficial sources of assistance, sources and use of information by farm families, awareness of and access to services, extent of service usage and acceptability, barriers to farm families seeking assistance, training needs of service providers, agency cooperation, self-help groups, community networks, services for farmers leaving farming, attitudes toward support, gaps in services, and use of counseling services. Appendices present interview schedules and a literature review on the stresses experienced by farm families. (Contains 50 references.) (SV)