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, Health / Wellness & Lifestyle
To increase quality of life and longevity among members of a community through community-wide interventions which address community, social network, habitat, and inner self.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Families
The goal of Celebrating Families! is to strengthen recovery from alcohol and/or drugs, break the cycle of addiction, and increase successful family reunification.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Public Safety, Urban
The goal of this strategy is to improve the effectiveness of policing in Chicago.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment
The goal of the CFAA initiative is to promote community building across ages. The life span approach promotes the well-being of children, youth, and older adults; strengthens families; and provides opportunities for ongoing interaction across ages.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Teens
The goal of cooperative learning is to establish positive interdependence among students. When positive interdependence is established in group learning situations, the quality of peer interaction improves. Instead of competing with or ignoring one another, students are more likely to promote the success of one another through mutual assistance, emotional support, and the sharing of ideas or resources. These positive social interactions, in turn, encourage greater social acceptance and the development of positive relationships among students and, in educational contexts, promote greater academic motivation and achievement (Johnson & Johnson, 1989, 2005). In fact, research on social interaction suggests that gains in social skills alone are insufficient to reduce social problems among students and encourage more positive peer relations. Only positive interdependence, and the subsequent positive social interactions that arise from it, can motivate youth to re-evaluate previous conclusions regarding the social desirability of others (Bierman, 2004).
Cooperative learning can have positive effects on adolescent bullying, alcohol use, and tobacco use.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Urban
It is the mission of the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration (APRA) to promote and enforce the highest quality regulatory standards for delivering services related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) addictions; to prevent ATOD addictions; and to identify, treat and rehabilitate persons who are addicted giving priority to residents of the District of Columbia.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Urban
The goal of the program is to decrease alcohol-related automobile accidents during the prom season by making alcohol-awareness presentations to high school students.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Rural
The goal of this program is to prevent substance abuse among youth.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
The goal of this program is to prevent tobacco and alcohol abuse among adolescents.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Families
The primary goal of GGC is to reduce youth substance abuse and problem behaviors by increasing family involvement that is rewarding and enhances parent-child bonds.
Significant positive effects on increasing family involvement and interaction and reducing youth substance abuse were observed. A cost-benefit analysis estimates a $5.85 benefit for every dollar invested in the program.