This guideline summarizes state-of-the-art approaches and interventions designed to strengthen the role of families in substance abuse prevention. Topics discussed are: (1) "Why Use Family-Centered Approaches? Aren't Our School and Community Efforts Sufficient?"; (2) "How Big a Problem Is Substance Abuse Among Youth?"; (3) "What Puts Children and Adolescents at Risk for Substance Abuse?"; (4) "Family-Centered Approaches to Prevention of Substance Abuse - What Works," which presents three major approaches; (5) "General Recommendations on Family-Centered Approaches"; and (6) "Program Development and Delivery of Family-Centered Approaches," which covers program development and planning issues. "An Afterword: Emerging Areas of Research and Practice" includes discussion of the constructs "Resilience" and "Family Support." Appendixes are: "Criteria for Establishing Levels of Evidence of Effectiveness,""Abbreviations and Glossary of Terms Used in Family-Centered Approaches to Substance Abuse Prevention," and "Resource Guide." Ideas and data in this guide were organized by means of the Prevention Enhancement Protocols System (PEPS), a systematic process for evaluating evidence from prevention research and practice, then developing recommendations for practice. (EMK)