Discusses the cost, benefits, & means of various preventive health programs. These include prenatal, neonatal, & childhood care, family planning, preschool intervention, psychotherapy, & suicide prevention. Suicide is a major cause of death &, while telephone hot-lines do not seem to prevent suicide, restrictions on the press & upon means of self-harm may. Although the costs & benefits of such programs can be estimated, these cannot be value-free estimations. (RM) (103 refs.)