This paper provides a model to assist local program planners, administrators, and other decisionmakers in the assessment of local drug abuse conditions and problems. The model presents data on which to base everyday judgments about drug abuse, to plan for drug abuse services, and to allocate limited resources on local levels. Drug abuse indicators and their rationale for selection are explored, including drug abuse treatment admissions, hepatitis morbidity, and drug abuse violation arrests. Methods for acquiring these data, including samples of various data collection instruments, are discussed. The experiences of a local community are used as an example to suggest that implementation of this paradigm requires the cooperation of various drug abuse agencies and data sources. (Author/KMF)