Nationwide attention to the problems of teenage pregnancy and suicide, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, dropping out of school, and other conditions is resulting in a proliferation of primary prevention programs, projects, and activities. In too many communities, however, the growth of prevention programs on the local level takes place with little access to technical advice or assistance with program design, implementation, or evaluation. Community psychologists can play a key role in providing technical assistance with newly developing primary prevention efforts endeavoring to: (1) discern the characteristics of the general population and identify specific populations at risk for developing disorders; (2) plan effective strategies within the available resources; (3) communicate specific information to target populations and to those in direct contact with target populations; and (4) systematically evaluate the success of each effort over time. A community psychologist who has provided consultation to numerous prevention programs in one Northeast community, including the formation of a coalition to coordinate efforts, outlines eight steps in the process of assisting these groups. Tables are appended and references are included. (TE)