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 Local, Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Families
Goal: The programs’ mission is to inform and inspire parents and all who care about children so that every child may be happy, healthy, and thrive.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Health, Adults
Goal: Expected Beneficial Outcomes: Reduced absenteeism. Other Potential Beneficial Outcomes: Reduced pain.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Economy, Adults
Goal: Expected Beneficial Outcomes: Improved health outcomes; Increased job satisfaction; Reduced absenteeism; Increased productivity. Other Potential Beneficial Outcomes: Improved mental health; Improved work-life balance; Increased sleep; Reduced stress; Increased well-being.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Economy, Children, Families
Goal: Expected Beneficial Outcomes: Increased child support receipt; Increased paternity establishment. Other Potential Beneficial Outcomes: Reduced child maltreatment.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Economy, Adults
Goal: Expected Beneficial Outcomes: Increased earnings; Reduced poverty.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Economy, Adults
Goal: Expected Beneficial Outcomes: Increased asset accumulation. Other Potential Beneficial Outcomes: Increased financial stability.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Economy, Adults
Goal: Expected Beneficial Outcomes: Increased access to paid leave; Increased access to health care. Other Potential Beneficial Outcomes: Improved health outcomes; Increased use of parental leave.
Filed under Local, Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes
Goal: The goals of the Homeless Garden Project (HGP) are to offer a supportive, meaningful work environment that encourages self-esteem, responsibility, and self-sufficiency; to integrate homeless people and the community in the security and beauty of a productive garden; and to put into practice the principles of economic and ecological sustainability.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Economy, Adults
Goal: Expected Beneficial Outcomes: Increased financial stability; Improved well-being. Other Potential Beneficial Outcomes: Increased food security; Reduced poverty; Reduced suicide; Reduced crime; Improved academic outcomes; Improved health outcomes.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Economy / Poverty, Adults, Women, Men, Families, Urban
Goal: The goal of the Family Peer Support program is to increase family economic and social self-sufficiency, and to connect parents to needed physical health, behavior health, and educational resources for their child. Family peer support programs generally focus on fostering encouragement of personal responsibility and self-determination, improving family health and wellness, and supporting engagement and communication with providers and systems of care. Research shows that peer support programs promote empowerment and self-esteem, self-management, engagement and social inclusion, as well as improving the social networks of families who receive these services. Research evidence qualifies peer support services as evidence-based through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality guidelines.
Salzer MS, Schwenk E, Brusilovskiy E: Certified peer specialist roles and activities: results from a national survey. Psychiatric Services 61:520–523, 2010.
Repper J, Carter T: A review of the literature on peer support in mental health services. Journal of Mental Health 20: 392–411, 2011.
Cook JA: Peer-delivered wellness recovery services: from evidence to widespread implementation. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 35:87–89, 2011