The Capital Region Health System @ Hamilton Health Center (CRHS), a community-based health care provider has received funding from the SAMHSA to provide a three-year Substance Abuse and HIV prevention program. A pre/posttest nonequivalent control group design is being used to evaluate the effectiveness of an education program in reducing substance use and risky sexual behaviors. Participants in the Sister-Friend Program (SFP) serve as the treatment group, while women from the Program for Female Offenders (PFO) serve as the control group. The SFP is a substance abuse and HIV prevention program targeting African-American and Hispanic women over the age of 18 years. The SFP consists of four sessions provided by a prevention specialist; each session consists of 2 hours of prevention and skills building education. These sessions are conducted following a “house-party” format in which a woman hosts 6-8 participants at her house. The PFO is a peer-based education program that provides one session of substance abuse and HIV prevention education. A pre/posttest instrument is being used to assess changes in participants’ behavior, attitudes, beliefs, and skills regarding substance abuse (i.e., alcohol, tobacco, other drugs) and HIV prevention. Also assessed is the participant’s knowledge about HIV/AIDS, perception of risky behaviors, and her current sexual practices and substance use behaviors. To date, 122 pretest surveys have been collected, 70 from the SFP, and 52 from the PFO. Preliminary analysis of the pretest data shows that 32% of all participants have had at least a drink of alcohol in the last 30 days, 46% have smoke cigarette, 10% reported illegal drug use, 33% have had oral sex, 48% have had vaginal sex, and 6% have had anal sex during the last 30 days. Among those who have had sex, 28% have used a condom during oral sex, 44% used a condom during vaginal sex, and 71% used a condom during anal sex. Most participants possess a moderate amount of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, perceive that people put themselves in moderate risk when using alcohol and drugs or when having unprotected sex with their main partners, and perceive that people put themselves at great risk when having unprotected sex with other partners. Comparison analysis of the pre/posttest data will be discussed during the presentation.Keyword(s): community-based programs, disease prevention, health promotion