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, Community / Transportation, Adults, Urban
The goal of the Get on Board program is to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in Tucson, AZ.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Cancer
The mission of Gilda's Club is to provide places where men, women, and children with cancer and their families and friends join with others to build social and emotional support as a supplement to medical care.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Wellness & Lifestyle, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
During the course of the program, growers receive ongoing education and support from staff and interpreters, reducing language and cultural barriers that have historically limited refugee access to community gardening engagement. The Global Gardens curriculum focuses on increasing refugee growers’ skills in community and household gardening, utilizing a garden-based learning theory of education, and implementing participatory, learner-centered assessment techniques. The curriculum empowers growers to take the lead in their learning experience and increase connection to and responsibility for their physical environment.
Additionally, Global Gardens aims to increase participant knowledge of how to access local community gardening resources in Kansas City. Each growing season, participants are connected to Kansas City Community Gardens (KCCG), a non-profit that seeks to assist low-income households to produce vegetables from garden plots in backyards and community sites. Global Gardens participants receive membership information and introduction to the seed and plant ordering process, and practice using this resource during the course of the program, building individual self-sufficiency in navigating the process, and increasing likelihood of utilizing KCCG in future.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Children
The goal of this program is to educate children about health and to prevent substance abuse and violence.
The Great Body Shop shows that comprehensive substance abuse and violence prevention and health curriculums in schools for elementary and middle school students can improve knowledge, values, thinking skills, and behaviors around substance abuse and violence topic areas.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Urban
Green Guerillas' goal is to help gardeners cultivate and manage community gardens that thrive as parks, urban farms, and outdoor community centers.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults
The goals of the Greenwich Senior Center are to improve health education/health monitoring/health screening utilization for diverse groups of seniors and to empower seniors to access programs, services and information on their own through literacy and computer literacy. The center also aims to provide socialization opportunities and financial assistance for seniors.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Families
The aim of the Growing Healthy Kids Project is to support nutrition, healthy eating, and family unity among local families by providing community gardening space.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy, Children, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Grown in Ivanhoe strives to achieve a just and equitable food environment in the Ivanhoe community by ensuring that residents have the information and resources needed to provide healthy, affordable foods for themselves and their families.
Grown in Ivanhoe has increased local food production and established resources for access to healthy foods.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
The Hair, Heart & Health program embraces the notion that health education at the community level is an effective intervention strategy for preventable diseases like CHD, stroke and kidney disease.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Children, Teens
The goal of school-based health centers is to reduce gaps in education and increase health equity in low-income communities.
When targeted to low-income communities, school-based health centers are likely to narrow gaps in education and improve health equity.