When the intervention began in 1991, bleach use was thought to be a highly effective strategy for reducing HIV transmission. The project focused on bleach use because the researchers believed that it was a strategy that would be useful for the largest number of injection drug users. In addition to information about bleach use, the researchers also provided information about drug treatment programs.

During the intervention, new guidelines regarding risk reduction for drug injectors were issued that placed less emphasis on bleach use. When these guidelines were published, the AIDS Community Demonstration Projects changed their intervention messages to place more emphasis on reducing needle sharing. Messages about bleach use were also provided because sterile needles were not easily available in some of the AIDS Community Demonstration Project cities.