The Department of Health, Education and Welfare's regional offices have completed the most comprehensive outreach effort in HEW's history, hearing and learning the views of all interests in our society concerning our welfare system and its reform. During the past two months, over 10,000 individuals and organizations have provided written and oral comments in response to regional office invitations advising of your outreach interest. In addition, innumerable people were reached through more than 300 newspaper articles, radio and television interviews. Further, over 9,000 people attended 145 conferences and public meetings in all states. Their statements provided a rare insight into (a) the grass roots impact of our welfare system and (b) views as to what should be done about it. In seeking comments from those not normally reached by the Department, we asked for information and views about the six major issues identified by the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and outlined in the March 7, 1977 Federal Register statement. We found a clear and strong consensus that our welfare system needs change, but no such consensus about what should be done.