Implementing Preventive and Environmental Community Interventions

Community-oriented professionals have much to offer in amelioring pressing, widespread health problems. Interventive ap proaches having the most potential might be those whose goals are directed toward building in strengths and competencies in individuals and groups to prevent onset of disorders, and modifying environmental irritants predisposing to pathology while strengthening environmental components conducing toward health. The present article reviews these projects which illustrate these approaches. The programs focus on preventing the onset of smoking m high school youngsters, reducing smoking behaviors in public settings, and decreasing dog droppings on public pathways. Several guiding principles in implementing these preventive interventions are delineated.