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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.

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The Pawtucket Heart Health Program (Pawtucket, RI)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Urban

Goal: The goal of this program was to reduce risk factors which impact cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

The Self Center (School-Linked Reproductive Health Services) (Maryland)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban

Goal: The goal of the program was to provide year-round reproductive and contraceptive education and services to students of two inner-city schools in Baltimore, Maryland with high rates of sexual activity and teen pregnancy.

The Stanford Five-City Project (California)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke

Goal: The goal of this project was to improve cardiovascular health of two California communities.

The Summer Youth Fellows Program (Atlanta, GA)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Educational Attainment, Children

Goal: Hands on Atlanta aims to build community and meet critical needs through volunteer service and civic engagement. This program meets those goals while providing valuable work experience and education for youth.

The Taunton Oral Health Collaborative (Taunton, MA)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Oral Health, Children, Teens, Adults

Goal: The goal of this program is to provide free and reduced-cost oral health services to children and adults.

The Tri-State Stroke Network

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke

Goal: The goal of the Network is to increase public awareness about the signs and symptoms of stroke.

The Virginia Cardiovascular Health Program (Virginia)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke

Goal: The goal of this program is to improve blood pressure monitoring and treatment.

Using Ten Techniques to Sustain a Successful Mentoring Relationship (USA)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children

Goal: To promote and maintain successful mentoring relationships between youth and adults.

Washington State Perinatal Partnership Against Domestic Violence (Washington)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Women's Health, Women, Racial/Ethnic Minorities

Goal: The goal of this project is to improve systems of care for Asian and Pacific Islander pregnant women who are experiencing domestic violence in order to address disparities in pregnancy outcomes in the Asian Pacific Islander Community.

Water Saving Strategies in Copenhagen (Denmark)

Note: This practice has been Archived.

Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Urban

Goal: The main goal of the project was to reduce water consumption.

In the Greater Copenhagen area 98% of the water supply is based on ground water. However, the reliance on ground water means that the municipal water company has to face an increased number of environmental problems as the statutory water control order demands greater control and supervision of water supply plants. In consequence, Copenhagen Water had to face serious challenges concerning ground water pollution and the reduction in total wells available.

An Effective Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success and/or promise in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures of improvement in outcome of interest (i.e. increase in voter registration, not just delivery of voter registration drive) and/ or the outcome measure is increased or improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant.

A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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