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 Good Idea, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Goal: The goal of this program is to prevent the spread of tuberculosis among the homeless population.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Women
Goal: The goals of the Library plan are to promote early literacy, parent/child bonding, and breastfeeding education in the community.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Children, Families
Goal: The program aims to promote social, emotional, and academic competence and to prevent children from developing conduct problems.
Impact: The Incredible Years series has been shown to increase positive parenting practices and family communication while reducing children's conduct problems.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes
Goal: The mission of this organization is to provide services for eligible citizens that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty, promote upward mobility, and enrich the quality of life.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Teens, Urban
Goal: The goal of this program is to prevent further criminal activity and incarceration among juvenile delinquents.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality
Goal: The objectives of WOW are to promote optimal health, to reduce behavioral risks and to promote early detection and improved management of health problems and risks.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Children, Women
Goal: The goal of CBFRS is to advance the health and development of first-time mothers and infants through a home visit program.
Impact: 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 Evidence-Based Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Urban
Goal: Housing for Health program goals are to improve patients’ health, reduce costs to the public health system, and demonstrate DHS’s commitment to addressing homelessness within Los Angeles County.
Impact: The average public service utilization cost per participant for the year prior to housing totaled $38,146; in the year after receiving housing, it totaled $15,358. When taking into account PSH costs, RAND observed a 20-percent net cost savings, suggesting a potential cost benefit of the program.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Women, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The goal of the program is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption behavior in participants of the Women, Infants, and Children program in Genessee County, Michigan.
Impact: Participants of the program increased their fruit and vegetable consumption and the program had a positive effect on participants attitudes toward consuming fruits and vegetables.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Economy / Government Assistance, Adults, Families
Goal: GAIN is part of a large-scale, welfare-to-work initiative program operating in every county in California. In L.A. County, the initiative is under the supervision of the Department of Public Social Services. It helps local businesses and employers find and hire quality workers who seek meaningful employment. Prospective workers are participants in the state welfare programs known as California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS) or General Relief Opportunities for Work (GROW).