This paper describes a case study of international cooperation between an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the United States and Costa Rica in a project implemented to promote community development and pimary prevention in a small rural town located in the south Pacific region of Costa Rica. The community prevention process was implemented in three consecutive phases: entry into the community and consolidation of the research team, needs assessment, and development of local initiatives to address identified needs. Two primary prevention projects implemented by community residents to modify environmental risks factors illustrate the development process: a campaign to increase resjdents' awareness of water contamination and a campaign to improve garbage collection. A participatory model of prevention and commu-Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar is afiliated with Loyola University. Fabricio F. Balcazar is affiliated with UAP University of Illinois at Chicago. Marcia Quiros is affiliated with the University of Kansas. Marcos Chavez is affiliated with the Universidad de Costa Rica. Oscar @ i s is affiliated with Ministdo de Educacion y Cultura, Costa Rica. [Haworthcc-indexing m(ry note]: "A Case Study of Intcmatiolvl Cooperation for Community Dcvelcmnmt d R i m w Revedian in Cosu Rick" Slursr-BPkaur. Yolud. d . I . Co-rublished simul&ausly in~rcvcnfion in Hvmon Scrviccr (The Haworth Ress. Ln.) Vol . 12, N ; . 1. 1995. DO. 3.2% md: I N c n w l i o d A~~raochrr lo Prrwnn'on in M c N d ffcdlh Md H~M Servimr (cd: ~b b a E: Hers. Md Wolfgang The Hmorch Rcss. Lr.. 1995. pp. 3-23. Multiple copies d lhis slwklchqtu may be plrchrrsd fmm The H a m Document Delivery Cmtu [I-BOO-3-HAWORm 9:WJ am. -5:WJ p.m. (EST)].