This article urges a reexamination of the concept of dissemination of health-related prevention programs. The article discusses factors that serve as sustaining conditions for dissemination of prevention programs including: (1) the nature of preventive intervention and parameters of effective community-based prevention praxis; (2) aspects of the infrastructure needed for widespread implementation of an innovation; and (3) developmental factors among program developers and implementors. The article then examines the necessity of carrying out action research in a spirit of continuous improvement and of elaborating on what most models refer to as the dissemination or diffusion stage. Guidelines are provided for maximizing the likelihood that prevention efforts initiated outside one's setting will be implemented with long-term goal attainment. A five-step task analysis for widespread prevention program implementation is detailed: (1) project definition; (2) marketing; (3) installation; (4) follow-up; and (5) project network building. The Social Decision Making and Problem Solving Project, a school-based prevention initiative, is used as a source of case examples. Three recommendations are offered: (1) preparation of administrators to be action researchers; (2) changes in higher education, teacher and administrator training and supervision, and in the preparation of pupil services staff; and (3) realignment of schools to become centers for parenting support and education. Contains approximately 70 references. (SD)