This issue of Impact is devoted to paraprofessionals in the helping professions and develops the discussion through five major articles. Part 1 offers an introduction to the role of paraprofessionals in classrooms and pupil personnel services. Part 2 relates the historical and legislative developments of paraprofessionals in the mental health fields and education. The selection, training, supervision, and evaluation of nonprofessional personnel, as well as problems often associated with their use, provide the focus for section 3. The discussion in part 4 centers on 14 model programs showing how paraprofessionals have been successfully employed in a variety of settings. Concluding section considers the effects of the use of paraprofessionals on the paraprofessionals themselves and on professionals, students, and administration. Possible future developments in the paraprofessional movement and their implications for the field of counseling are also discussed. Regular Impact features include Quotes, Flashes, Research Findings, and New Resources. (Author/PC)