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.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Rural
Goal: Homeward Bound of Marin's mission is to address and solve the homelessness problem in Marin County.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Housing & Homes, Children, Older Adults, Families
Goal: The Kahiau Program addresses the non-medical needs of individuals and families in the community served by Castle Medical Center.
Preventing Marijuana Use through Establishing Conservative Norms in Adolescents (Los Angeles and Orange, CA)
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Urban
Goal: To prevent use of marijuana altogether in adolescents by establishing conservative norms.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Urban
Goal: The goal of Project Students Helping Others Understand Tobacco (SHOUT) is to use a school-based curriculum to prevent tobacco use among adolescents.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Families
Goal: The goals of RealBenefits are to allow users to 1) maximize benefits designed to promote self-sufficiency and stability for low-income families and their communities; 2) create capacity in public and private health and human service agencies that increases services offered to low-income families and maximizes revenues; and 3) promote change in public benefit application systems.
Note: This practice has been Archived.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 Effective Practice, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Teens, Adults, Women, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The goals of the SevenPrinciples Project, funded by the CDC's REACH 2010 Initiative, are to: eliminate disparities in infant mortality rates; improve African American infant survival; and improve the health of families and communities with infants through developing community capacity.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults
Goal: The goal of the program is to reduce medical costs, to prevent premature institutionalization, and to save taxpayers' dollars. Additionally, the program aims to prevent depression among the elderly, reduce daily living activity limitations caused by chronic diseases and lack of exercise, and increase the quality of life among the older adults.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults, Rural
Goal: The mission of the Health Council is to enhance the quality of life in Grant County, New Mexico, through assessment of needs, planning and prioritizing, and coordinating of efforts to meet those needs.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Teens, Women
Goal: The goal of the program was to reduce Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and encourage zero alcohol use by pregnant women through educational and social marketing techniques for select target groups.
Impact: The NineZero program increased knowledge regarding FAS, and also showed that an approach with more emphasis on health education principles that have been shown to be effective in changing other substance use behaviors would have a more successful effect on attitudes, beliefs, and intentions.