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, 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 access to paid leave; Increased access to health care. Other Potential Beneficial Outcomes: Improved health outcomes; Increased use of parental leave.
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 Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12
Goal: The Chatham-Savannah Youth Futures Authority (YFA) mission is to create a community collaborative to bring about change in the policies, procedures and funding patterns of community institutions needed to enable the youth of the community to become productive, economically self-sustaining adults.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Cancer, Adults
Goal: The goal of this program is to improve colorectal cancer screening rates among older adults.
Impact: Participants in the intervention group had significantly higher colorectal cancer screening attendance, as well as having more positive attitudes about screening and placing a higher priority on screening.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Social Environment, Families
Goal: The goal of the Parenting with Love and Limits® (PLL) program is to improve behavioral problems in children by providing therapy and training to parents in order to restore a level of competent, effective parenting and create greater family connectedness.
Impact: Youth in the PLL group had significantly greater reductions in conduct disorder problem behaviors compared with youth in the control group. Specifically, they had greater improvements in anxiety/depression, withdrawn/depression, social problems, attention problems, rule-breaking problems, aggressive behaviors, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults
Goal: The primary caregivers of terminally ill patients often have regular jobs, require additional assistance, or just need some respite from their demanding schedule. Senior Companions provide much-needed assistance that allows patients to remain at home while giving primary caregivers a break.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens
Goal: The goal of this study was to investigate how video games can be utilized to promote healthy behavior changes in diet, physical activity, and adiposity to reduce adverse health effects.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The Backyard Garden Program builds food self-sufficiency by empowering low-income households to grow fresh produce where they live.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults, Urban
Goal: The goal of Bingocize is to improve mobility, balance, and ADL's in older adult populations.