It is important to bridge the gap between clinical research and counseling practice. The "I Have a Future" (IHAF) program was designed by professionals affiliated with Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee to serve inner-city African American youths identified as "high risk" for premature pregnancies, drug/alcohol abuse, crime, and youth unemployment. The goal of the intervention was to assist these teenagers in adapting new ways of thinking and behaving in order to prevent destructive behavior. The Quality of Life Community Needs Assessment Survey (QLS), consisting of 67 questions in survey format, was administered to 500 heads-of-households in public housing areas in Nashville, Tennessee. Of these, 125 adults with one or more youths between the ages of 10-17 years residing in their households participated in the final investigation. Discussion focuses on the value of the QLS as a community research technique in developing a prevention project for underclass youth. Findings are reported regarding the community's view of inner-city youth, misuse of drugs and alcohol, and teenage pregnancies. It is concluded that the primary challenge to the program counselors was to design and implement specific preventive services, based upon the expressed needs and attitudes of the residents, in order to create constructive opportunities to stimulate adolescent development and community empowerment. Followup strategies for the project are briefly discussed. References are included. (TE)