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.
The CrossPoints Project: Using Virtual Reality to Teach Pedestrian Safety to Children (Ontario, Canada)
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Public Safety, Children
Goal: The goal of the CrossPoints Project is to use a Virtual Reality software program to teach pedestrian safety to children.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Prevention & Safety, Teens, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: To reduce violence among low-income African American youth in urban settings.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Women, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: Health Works for Women aims to help low-income and minority women improve their health by eating healthier, being physically active, quitting smoking, and managing their stress.
Impact: This health promotion project was a successful model for blue collared women to obtain certain health behavior changes.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Education / Literacy, Children
Goal: The goal of In2Books is to promote reading, writing, and critical thinking skills in students grades three through five through partnership with a pen pal, and provide teachers with a structured curriculum designed to enhance their students' learning experiences.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Prevention & Safety, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The goal of the LINC program is to provide health education and care to prison inmates while they are incarcerated and following their release.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Adults, Families
Goal: To increase the access and availability of nutritious food to the residents of Upper Falls, Rochester, New York.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Transportation, Families
Goal: Indiana has a primary seat belt law which enables law enforcement officers to issue citations when they are observed. However, the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that officers may not indiscriminately stop motorists to see if they are wearing their seat belts. To increase safety belt usage compliance, members of the Traffic Safety Partnership developed Seat Belt Enforcement Zones. The primary objectives of these enforcement zones are to: combine public awareness initiatives and enforcement efforts; utilize multi-agency personnel from participating law enforcement agencies; operate on a zero tolerance policy for violations; inform residents about current seat belt usage rates using metal signs posted at various county locations.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to help coordinate the state's marriage and family strengthening efforts.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Diabetes, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: To improve three health behaviors that are risk factors for diabetes and heart disease (fruit & vegetable consumption, physical activity, and cigarette smoking) in an African American community.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to change the child protection field by demonstrating a new approach to safeguarding children and supporting families. Based on the premise that many people, agencies, and organizations in a community can contribute to children's safety, the initiative addresses child abuse and neglect by raising neighborhood awareness of child safety issues, empowering neighborhood residents to become more involved with families at risk of abusing or neglecting their children, strengthening locally based organizations and helping them form networks concerned with child safety, and fostering policy, practice, and organizational changes within public sector child protective services agencies. This approach is known as community child protection.