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 / Environmental Justice, Children, Adults, Urban
The goals of the West Harlem Waterfront Park Program are to bridge green spaces along the Hudson River and enhance waterfront access, economic development, and regional transportation alternatives in the West Harlem community.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children
The project aims to promote a healthy lifestyle and reverse the trend of obesity among students and their families.
The ABC Fitness Program demonstrates the feasibility of bursts of structured physical activity for elementary school students with the beneficial effects on fitness and other health measures.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Teens, Urban
The goal of Adolescents Living Safely is to prevent HIV infection and AIDS among runaway adolescents.
Adolescents Living Safely changes youth sexual behavior to reduce transmission of HIV among runaways.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Diabetes, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
The goal of Advancing Diabetes Self Management at La Clinica de La Raza was to improve health outcomes of those suffering from type 2 diabetes.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Children
The initiative's mission was to create a citywide system to support and sustain high-quality after-school programs.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of the Al's Pals program is to teach children how to practice positive ways to express feelings, relate to others, communicate, brainstorm ideas, solve problems, and differentiate between safe and unsafe substances and situations.
Studies have shown that the program resulted in higher degrees of positive change in the intervention groups, increases in prosocial behaviors and positive coping behaviors, and decreases in antisocial and negative coping behaviors.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
A.S.P.I.R.E aims to reduce teen tobacco use by helping current smokers to quit and preventing non-smokers from beginning to smoke.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Respiratory Diseases, Children, Families, Urban
The goal of the program was to provide a multi-layered asthma management program for parents, children, and staff of early childhood centers.
The ABC program demonstrates that a multi-layered approach can improve asthma outcomes among preschoolers with a combination of parent and provider education having the greatest impact.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens, Urban
To improve drinking water consumption among adolescents.
This study shows that provision of filtered, chilled drinking water in school cafeterias coupled with promotion and education is associated with increased consumption of drinking water at school.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Prevention & Safety, Children, Families
The goal of Baby, Be Safe is to increase the use of child injury prevention measures.
Participants who received tailored educational materials reported greater adoption of home and car safety behaviors than those receiving generic information. This study offers promising findings to help prevent injuries to young children.