The Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) are intended to organize, restructure, & redefine health care delivery for 11- to 21-year-old patients in response to data that show that health risks in this age group are more social in origin than medical, & can be prevented to reduce adolescent mortality & morbidity. The GAPS system enables the busy physician to identify at-risk adolescent patients & provide them with information about changing unhealthy behaviors. (14 refs)