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 Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Teens, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
To combat the epidemic of violence among Baltimore’s youth and support traditional public safety strategies using a combination of public health and human service models to reduce violence.
It was estimated that the program was associated with 5.4 fewer homicide incidents and 34.6 fewer nonfatal shooting incidents during 112 cumulative months of intervention post observations.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Family Planning, Teens
The goal of the Safer Choices program is to reduce the number of students engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse.
The program reduced the frequency of intercourse without a condom, reduced the number of sexual partners with whom students had intercourse without a condom, and increased use of condoms and other protection against pregnancy at last intercourse.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Urban
The mission of Safety Street is to increase injury prevention knowledge for children through interactive teaching of pedestrian, home, and vehicle safety.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Older Adults, Adults
The ongoing goals of the ADHC include maintaining functional independence and preventing premature institutionalization while providing respite and a support system for caregivers and providing a therapeutic environment involving; physical , occupational, speech, recreation, psycho-social and creative arts therapy to increase the quality of life for participants.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, Urban
SMURRF aims to mitigate the pollution affecting Santa Monica Bay from urban runoff and raise public awareness of Santa Monica Bay pollution. We have reviewed the SMURRF system and began an investigation of installing a RO system to produce potable water in the coming years. This goal is to contribute to the city’s new sustainable master water plan to become self-reliant on local water by 2020
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children, Teens, Adults
The goal of the program is to make a positive difference in the lives of children, primarily through professionally guided one-to-one relationships with caring adults, and to assist them in achieving their highest potential, as they grow to become confident, competent and caring individuals.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children
School Food FOCUS is a national collaborative that leverages the knowledge and procurement power of large school districts to make school meals nationwide more healthful, regionally sourced, and sustainably produced.
School Food FOCUS helps partners procure healthy and sustainable school foods, works towards policies that advance healthy school foods, and facilitates knowledge sharing around school food issues.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Teens, Urban
The primary goal of the School Lunch Initiative is to transform the way Berkeley public school students eat lunch and to educate children about food, health, and the environment.
Three years after its conception, the program successfully eliminated nearly all processed foods from the school district dining halls and introduced fresh and organic foods to the daily menu. There was evidence that greater exposure to the School Lunch Initiative was significantly associated with higher nutrition knowledge scores among fourth graders and seventh graders. Furthermore, elementary school students from the schools with highly developed School Lunch Initiative components clearly expressed a higher preference for fruits and vegetables.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of this intervention was to reduce dental caries among children by promoting twice daily tooth brushing.
Supervised tooth brushing and positive reinforcement in a school setting decreased the rate of dental caries in participating children.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders
The goal of this program is to help clients move beyond trauma and substance abuse.
Multiple evaluations of the Seeking Safety program in various settings have shown positive outcomes for substance abuse/addiction, substance abuse disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.