The public health community and general public collectively face a crisis of major proportions. Diseases such as HIV-AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, cancer, strokes, coronary artery disease and others have grown in morbidity and mortality and render high-risk populations at the greatest vulnerability in history. In the case of AIDS, while the death rate is decreasing due to more effective medications such as protease inhibitors and azidothymidine, those infected are still victims of eventual death. The reality of the vast morbidity and mortality that we face precipitates a greater search for prevention. We now know and understand that HIV-AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and most other urban health problems are preventable.