Prevention efforts conducted by schools will probably limit their message content mainly to drug abstinence despite the continuation of active drug use among some students. Therefore, aggressive, targeted outreach efforts conducted outside traditional educational settings will probably be more effective in reaching the youths who are most at risk. These include school dropouts and runaways. Through these less traditional educational methods, more opportunities may be available to address the immediate concerns of viral transmission. These interventions should be carefully planned to reach specific targets. They must reflect recognition of the ways in which learning and behaviors are shaped, influenced, changed, and sustained. They must also regard the environment in which people live as both a barrier and a promoter of the changes required to reduce the introduction and transmission of HIV in an adolescent population. 12 references.