This report reviews, recounts, and assesses the accomplishments and progress made to date by many public health professionals engaged collectively in a nationwide health education-risk reduction program. Papers are presented outlining progress by health agencies, working alone or in collaboration, whose basic goals were: (1) inventory of statewide resources for health education-risk reduction; (2) establishment of working relationships with other agencies; (3) determining risk factor prevalence by State; (4) identifying surveillance systems for chronic disease morbidity and mortality data; and (5) pursuing an organized approach to risk reduction. These have proved effective for stimulating new networks, new interventions, and new thinking for addressing the preventable health problems of the 1980's and 1990's. The local education intervention projects described are demonstrating the effectiveness of a planned community approach to risk reduction. (JD)