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 Good Idea, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children, Families, Urban
Goal: HIPPY programs empower parents as primary educators of their children in the home and foster parent involvement in school and community life to maximize the chances of successful early school experiences.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Children, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to prevent the unnecessary out-of-home placement of children through intensive, on-site intervention, and to teach families new problem-solving skills to prevent future crises.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults, Urban
Goal: The program’s mission is to serve San Francisco’s isolated seniors 60 and older in making the transition from hospital to home.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Urban
Goal: The mission of Beyond Shelter is to develop systemic approaches to combat poverty and homelessness among families with children and enhance family economic security and well-being.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Children, Women, Families, Urban
Goal: The Homeless Prenatal Program works with families to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty by providing prenatal and parenting support, family finances and stability, and basic needs services.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Urban
Goal: HOPE's mission is to create fundamental and sustainable environmental changes that will significantly improve the health and wellness of Oakland residents.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Families
Goal: The purpose of the Horizon Communities in Prison program is to build links between the faith community and correctional institutions in order to affect an inner transformation of inmates and prepare them to live with others in mutual support, trust and respect.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes
Goal: Horizon House believes homeless guests possess strengths that are key to ending their homelessness, and states its mission is "to be a focal point for services and assistance to empower individuals and families to no longer be homeless."
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The goal of the Hospital Diversion Initiative is to connect individuals who chronically utilize the inpatient and emergency rooms with outpatient care.
Impact: After three months in the program, participants showed a 66% reduction in ER visits, 68% reduction in inpatient hospital stays, a 72% decrease in homelessness, an 18% reduction in unemployment, and a 66% decrease in past 30 day arrests. More than 350 individuals have been served so far.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Employment, Women, Men, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: Hot Bread Kitchen's mission is to increase economic security for foreign-born, low-income women and men by helping them gain access to the thriving specialty food industry.
Impact: Hot Bread Kitchen trains low-income, immigrant men and women for successful professional baking careers.