This paper is an effort to propose a moderatel optimistic future for personal care services. It is proposed that the "best available future" scenario for personal care servlces between now and the year 2019 is to concentrate upon "privatization" of service delivery on a small-scale basis. Government, in this model should be llimited largely to three roles: (1) source of "venture capital"; (2) regulation of service delivery; and (3) ,income maintenance for the poorest ,populations. In this future, the main burden of personal care services will be born by the private sector. Dramatic improvements in the financing and marketing of human services will be called for, including expanded private practice, technology-intensive services and new forms of private insurance.