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Note: This practice has been Archived.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 Good Idea, Community / Civic Engagement, Teens
The goal is to encourage middle and high school students to increase their civic involvement.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Good Idea, Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Children, Older Adults
The goal of the project was to find a way for elementary school children to learn about the environment and participate in community service.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Good Idea, Education / Educational Attainment, Teens, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The goal of the Fast Track camp is to prepare young student athletes to make a successful transition from high school to college academically, athletically, and socially.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
The goal of this program is to help girls in middle school (ages 11-14) acquire knowledge, skills, and support systems to avoid substance abuse.
In 2016, independent evaluation of PEERsuasion failed to find evidence that Friendly PEERsuasion was effective in delaying or reducing girls’ use of ATOD or changing girls’ attitudes toward ATOD use and their associations with peers who use substances.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
The main objective of Growing Healthy is to give students the tools to resist the social pressures to smoke, use alcohol or other drugs, and engage in other risky behavior.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Women, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Health Works for Women aims to help low-income and minority women improve their health by eating healthier, being physically active, quitting smoking, and managing their stress.
This health promotion project was a successful model for blue collared women to obtain certain health behavior changes.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Education / Literacy, Children
The goal of In2Books is to promote reading, writing, and critical thinking skills in students grades three through five through partnership with a pen pal, and provide teachers with a structured curriculum designed to enhance their students' learning experiences.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Adults, Older Adults
The goal of this program is to provide risk factor management training and services to individuals with cardiovascular disease.
Intervention participants had significantly fewer cardiovascular events than patients who received usual care (4.1% vs. 15.7%, p = 0.053). Reduced hospitalization and emergency room expenses resulted in a gross cost savings of $1,418 per patient.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Domestic Violence & Abuse, Women
The goal of this clinic-based and counseling intervention is to reduce Intimate Partner Violence by encouraging behaviors that promote safety for women.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Teens
The goal of KYB is to teach students the necessary knowledge, attitudes, skills, and experience to practice positive health behaviors and reduce their risk of future illness.
Studies suggest that the program had a favorable impact on many risk factors, such as systolic and diastolic pressures, HDL cholesterol, ratio of total to HDL cholesterol, fitness (postexercise pulse recovery rate), and smoking.