In the United States, political and social attention to child health care remains insufficient, as it has for decades, especially that which serves the needs of low-income families. In response to this widespread negligence, many communities around the country have developed innovative programs to meet the needs of disadvantaged infants and children. That need for coordinated health services exists among poor children in the Roanoke Valley. The local solution has developed since 1988 as the Children's Health Investment Project (CHIP). This thesis explores, from a geographic perspective, how the relationship between enrolled families and their providers affects attitudes and perceptions toward health care services made available through CHIP. Also, the implications of the current spatial distribution of CHIP participants are examined for geographic relevance. / M.S.