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, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Urban
Goal: The goal of Popular Opinion Leader is to reach as many people as possible in order to successfully and dramatically reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy, Adults, Urban
Goal: The program’s main focus was on moving welfare recipients quickly into the workforce.
Impact: There was a sizable increase in employment rates and job earnings, reduction in welfare dependency, and savings to the government.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Education / School Environment, Children, Teens
Goal: The goal of this program is to improve academic success, behavior, and character development.
Impact: Multiple studies have consistently found PA effective for improving achievement scores, attendance, and self-concept and for reducing drug use, violence, and other problem behaviors. Results were often better in more disadvantaged schools.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Rural
Goal: The goal of POWER is to promote weight loss and glycemic control among individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes living in rural communities.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Energy & Sustainability, Children
Goal: The program is designed to empower 6-8th grade students across the region with the knowledge that their everyday choices do make a difference. The program aims to influence how middle school students and their families think about and use natural resources in their daily lives.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Rural
Goal: The goal of the Farm Safety Day Camp is to make farm and ranch life safer and healthier for children through education and training.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Children, Teens
Goal: Project ACHIEVE's ultimate goal is to help design and implement effective school and schooling processes to maximize the academic and social/emotional/behavioral progress and achievement of all students.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: To reduce HIV risk behaviors among adolescents aged 11 to 14.
Impact: This program effectively modified sexual risk among adolescents aged 11 to 14 by focusing students on positive future selves.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce or stop smoking among adolescents.
Impact: At 3-month follow-up, 17% of youths in the treatment conditions reported having quit smoking for at least 30 days, compared with only 8% of those teens in the control condition. These positive effects were also demonstrated when moved from a clinic setting to the classroom, as students in the program condition experienced a greater reduction in weekly smoking and monthly smoking, at 6-and-12-month follow-ups.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Women
Goal: The goal of this program is to improve health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women with substance abuse problems and their infants.
Impact: Improvement in birth weight and gestational age, and reduction in admittance to neonatal intensive care unit and positive infant toxicology screens.