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, Community / Civic Engagement, Children, Teens
The intent of this program is to provide each student with at least 12 years of training in how to manage conflicts constructively and thereby significantly change the way they manage their conflicts for the rest of their lives.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
The goal of Young Women on the Move is to help girls gain the knowledge, skills and personal power to become change agents in their lives and their communities. The mission of Teen Advocates for a Healthy KCK is to empower underserved, at-risk adolescent girls to live healthy lives filled with positive options with the vision that girls, when healthy in mind, body and spirit, will be strong leaders and advocates for thriving, healthy families and communities.
Teen Advocates for a Healthy KCK helped girls discover their personal power and develop skills and behaviors that led to healthier lifestyle choices.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Adults, Older Adults, Families, Urban
The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project was a neighborhood effort to create a mosaic running up the risers of 163 steps.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Prevention & Safety, Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, Urban
The goal of the Backyard Initiative is to improve health and health care.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Urban
One of the primary goals of Bronx Center is to ensure that area residents and businesses gain access to as many jobs, both construction and permanent, and contracting opportunities as possible. Other goals include renovating the Bronx Borough Courthouse and transforming it into The Bronx Planning Center and improving education, housing, and the economic state of the community.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
To create a place for the citizens of Boyle Heights, CA to exercise which is safe and easy to access and thus promotes regular physical activity.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment
The goal of the Green Map System is to cultivate citizen participation and community sustainability in hundreds of places around the world.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Wellness & Lifestyle, Children, Families
The Healthy Lifestyles Initiative works to integrate efforts to increase the proportion of Kansas City children and their families practicing healthy behaviors at a healthy weight.
Collaboration among multiple agencies across public and private sectors resulted in reaching almost 1 million people in the Kansas City area. Healthy weight assessments and plans received at primary care clinics are helping to promote healthy eating and living among children and their families.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Children, Families
The program aims to promote social, emotional, and academic competence and to prevent children from developing conduct problems.
The Incredible Years series has been shown to increase positive parenting practices and family communication while reducing children's conduct problems.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Adults, Urban
The mission of The Key Clubhouse is to afford people who have been disrupted by mental illness the opportunity to recover meaningful and productive lives through reintegration in the workplace and the community.
Individuals who participate in a Clubhouse program have been found to have higher rates of employment, reduced hospitalization, reduced incarceration, and improved well-being as compared with other mental health programs.