Promising Practices
The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.
The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Teens, Urban
Goal: The goals of the curriculum are to 1) illustrate that violence is preventable, 2) teach students that anger is a normal part of life and that anger can be expressed and channeled in healthy, constructive ways, 3) help students understand that controlling anger and violence is part of maturing, 4) identify positive ways for students to express their anger, and 5) help them think about and use alternatives to violence in conflict situations.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Urban
Goal: The goal of the "walking school bus" is to increase children's rates of active commuting to school and physical activity.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Public Safety, Children, Urban
Goal: The WalkSafe program was developed to improve pediatric pedestrian safety, increase physical activity levels by encouraging children to walk to and from school, and improve the walkability in and around elementary schools.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Poverty, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to help motivated low-income single-parents move from public assistance to self-sufficiency through affordable housing, quality child care, counselling, education and training.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Adults
Goal: To increase the abstinence rate of smokers over the age of 18 through a supplemental, online, tailored smoking cessation program.
Impact: The Committed Quitters Stop Smoking Plan has been successful at increasing the abstinence rate for smokers enrolled in the plan. Abstinence was higher for enrollees of the plan after 28 days and after 10-weeks.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Goal: The goals of Weed and Seed are to control violent crime, drug trafficking, and drug-related crime and provide a safe environment where residents can live, work, and raise their families.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health, Older Adults
Goal: The WISE Program is a wellness and prevention program targeting older adults, which is designed to help them celebrate healthy aging, make healthy lifestyle choices and avoid substance abuse.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Adults
Goal: The goal of Welvista is to provide prescription medications to those who cannot afford them.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Adults
Goal: The goal of the Working toward Wellness program was to encourage depressed parents who were receiving Medicaid to seek treatment from a mental health professional.
Impact: The Working toward Wellness program succeeded in increasing the likelihood that depressed Medicaid parents sought mental health services, particularly among the Hispanic population.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Investment & Personal Finance, Urban
Goal: The goal of this program is to encourage capital investment in low-income areas.