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, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Goal: The goal of this program is to protect and improve coastal water quality.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Transportation, Children
Goal: The goal of Clean School Bus USA is to reduce both children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Children, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The goal of Club HERO is encourage feelings of support at home and school and increase knowledge about the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs to prevent youths' drug use.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children
Goal: The goal of this program is to provide students with skills that can be used for understanding and controlling their emotions.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Cancer, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The goal of this project was to promote colorectal cancer screening among Chinese Americans.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Civic Engagement
Goal: The goal of the Coming of Age initiative is to promote civic engagement, learning and community leadership among residents ages 50 years and older.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Children, Rural
Goal: The goal of Communities Caring for Children is to increase the number of infants and children who receive immunizations on schedule.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Families
Goal: The purpose of the Community Supporting Breastfeeding (CSB) designation program is to create a culture of breastfeeding support in communities, ultimately increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration rates and the health and well-being of families.
The CSB program’s immediate goals are to increase positive perceptions toward breastfeeding, increase the availability of breastfeeding resources, and reduce barriers experienced in the community by women of child-bearing age. The long-term goal of the project is to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates through a sustainable model of cross-sector support for breastfeeding.
The project also effectively addresses the racial and socioeconomic disparities in breastfeeding rates. The Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition’s collective impact approach supports efforts of those serving African-American and lower income women. As a result of this project, these organizations receive the support they need to increase their impact when they become aligned with other, larger organizations working toward similar goals, creating a synergy across groups working on breastfeeding support.
Impact: Based on results from our evaluation, along with improved exclusive breastfeeding rates in the majority of the communities that could be associated with the CSB criteria, we believe the CSB program is impactful.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Goal: The clear goal of CARE is to foster projects that will become self-sustaining and use CARE funding as seed money. The CARE Process is designed to encourage communities to enlist the support of project partners that will enable the project to continue even without EPA resources. Rather than supporting one time projects, CARE will support community partnerships that will endure and provide environmental benefits long into the future.