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 / Wellness & Lifestyle, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The mission is to provide affordable and accessible fitness and nutrition programs to people in low-income communities.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce blood pressure among African American men.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to foster positive family relationships.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Adults, Women, Men, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The objective of Project HEART (Health Education Awareness Research Team) was to promote behavior changes to decrease cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a high-risk Hispanic border population.
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, Environmental Health / Energy & Sustainability, Urban
Goal: The mission of the Interfaith Coalition on Energy (ICE) is to inspire congregations to reduce the costs of operating their facilities in order to create money for community service while practicing environmental stewardship.
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, Education / Literacy, Children, Adults, Families
Goal: The mission of Reach Out and Read is to help prepare young children to succeed in school, by partnering with physicians to encouraging parents and children to read aloud together.
Impact: Reach Out and Read improves children's language development by 3-6 months and improves language ability with increased exposure to the program.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Energy & Sustainability
Goal: The CHP Partnership is a voluntary program that seeks to reduce the environmental impact of power generation by promoting the use of CHP.The Partnership works closely with energy users, the CHP industry, state and local governments, and other stakeholders to support the development of new projects and promote their energy, environmental, and economic benefits.
Comparative Cost Analysis of Housing and Case Management Program for Chronically Ill Homeless Adults Compared to Usual Care (Chicago, Illinois)
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Urban
Goal: To assess the costs of a housing and case management program in a novel sample: homeless adults with chronic medical illnesses.
Impact: Compared to usual care, the intervention group generated an average annual cost savings of (−)$6,307 per person (95 percent CI: −16,616, 4,002; p = .23). Subgroup analyses of chronically homeless and those with HIV showed higher per person, annual cost savings of (−)$9,809 and (−)$6,622.