The goal of the Bright Futures project is to respond to the emerging preventive and health promotion needs of infants, children, and adolescents. Bright Futures is sponsored by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the United States Public Health Service and the Medicaid Bureau of the Health Care Financing Administration. Over 100 professionals, representing a spectrum of child health perspectives, came together to develop health supervision guidelines to advance health needs of children. They asked the question, "How can health professionals and other caregivers become more effective in disease prevention and health promotion for children?" The Bright Futures guidelines arise from the belief that effective health supervision requires a partnership between health professionals and families. The health professional must use a "contextual approach," becoming sensitive to the child's environment, including health, educational, and social issues. This guide is divided into four sections that correspond to the four periods of development of infancy (0-12 months), early childhood (1-5 years), middle childhood (5-11 years), and adolescence (11-21 years). Each section includes: (1) a theme chapter; (2) a chart of developmental achievements, tasks, and outcomes; (3) a list of instructions concerning health supervision to be provided to the family by health professionals; (4) a list of child, family, and community strengths; (5) a list of health-related issues; (6) descriptions of what typically occurs at periodic visits of children and families to health professionals; (7) a health supervision summary; and (8) a bibliography. Nine appendixes present information on various aspects of child health including recommended immunization schedules, lead toxicity screening, and vision screening. One including recommended immigration schedules, lead toxicity screening, and vision screening. One appendix is a bibliography of approximately 100 items related to the Bright Futures project. (BGC)