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, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Urban
The goal of this program is to foster civic participation and encourage neighborhood revitalization while preserving open space. Community gardens provide green space and easily accessible recreational opportunities in the areas that need them most.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Urban
ReStore Kansas City was created to be an entrepreneurial, fundraising arm for Habitat for Humanity Kansas City through sales of donated new and used building materials, furniture and appliances. By salvaging useable materials from people who no longer need them, ReStore is saving space in landfills, giving the public affordable materials, and helping to further the mission of affordable housing in the Kansas City area.
Two stores raised more than $5 million and approximately 60,000,000 lbs. of material were diverted from going into the local landfill.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Children, Teens
The HeadOn program is designed to promote well-known protective factors based on both the social-influence model of drug use and a generalized skills-training model.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Disabilities, Teens
The project goals included sensitizing professionals-in-training to core areas of health promotion for teens with disabilities and increasing professionals' competence in understanding the issues and addressing the needs of teens or referring teens to appropriate resources.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Children, Women
The goal of CBFRS is to advance the health and development of first-time mothers and infants through a home visit program.
The findings indicate positive health and safety outcomes for first-time mothers and infants in the program: higher household safety levels, higher use of birth control methods, lower smoking behavior, higher knowledge of the effects of smoking on child development, and higher use of county clinics.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Governance, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The ultimate goal of this approach is to fundamentally change government so that agencies are aligned around a common vision for a healthy and equitable society, and so that health is considered in decision-making across sectors and policy areas.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Other Conditions, Adults, Older Adults
The program is focused on reduction of pain and improvement of function for arthritis patients unable or unwilling to attend small group ASMPs, which have proven effective in changing health-related behaviors and improving health status measures.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of Healthy Buddies is to increase health knowledge, health behaviors, and health attitudes in children in elementary school.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Families
Program goals include prevention of negative birth outcomes (low birth weight, substance abuse, criminal activity, child abuse, and neglect), increased parenting skills, healthy pregnancy practices, and the use of social systems.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Respiratory Diseases, Children, Teens, Families
The mission of the Healthy Kids Express Asthma Program is to provide quality asthma care and education to children with asthma and their caretakers in a school environment to work towards goals set by Healthy People 2020 and the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP).
The Healthy Kids Express Asthma Program serves approximately 600 children a year, improving inhaler technique and asthma knowledge among participants. Children enrolled in the program for two consecutive years have lower school absentee rates and hospitalizations due to asthma.