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, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Families, Urban
Common Ground seeks to help homeless individuals and families develop stability and independence by providing housing and support services.
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, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Teens, Adults, Rural
The goal of the Community Corretions Program is to provide an alternative to incarceration by providing counseling to the offender and organizing integration back into the community through community service activities.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Oral Health, Families
The goal of this program is to improve the health of all its community members, while providing the same quality of service paid for by privately insured patients.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Children, Families
The Community Gardens Program aims to improve the health of the residents of San Antonio and the environment by creating community gardens, which provide a place for gathering, exercising, and learning, as well as preserving San Antonio’s green space.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Urban
Isles, Inc., is a nationally recognized nonprofit community development and environmental organization with the mission to foster more self-reliant families in healthy, sustainable communities.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Built Environment
The goal of the Community Greenspace program is to restore and revitalize urban neighborhoods by helping residents create greenspace in their communities.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
The initial goal of this group was to initiate communication between the private and public health care sectors in regards to influenza prevention planning. Once that communication was established and barriers were identified and addressed, the group identified the following goals: develop a common message for the general public regarding influenza vaccination, educate all health care providers regarding CDC influenza vaccination guidelines and encourage them to adhere to these guidelines, establish consistency in timing for vaccination clinics throughout the community and consistency in vaccination costs, and develop a local influenza surveillance system.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Teens, Adults, Older Adults
CredibleMind helps surface resources with scientific validity to empower community members to take control of their mental health and spiritual well-being.
CredibleMind is available to the public and is also available as a customizable solution for community coalitions, health departments, hospitals, health plans, employers and other professional organizations to connect users to local services and resources.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Built Environment
- To create a sense of place that fosters community and connects people to one another and their natural environments
- To tread lighter on the land through innovative design, and
- To introduce sustainable construction materials and new technologies to advance the quality of life.
Specific performance targets include:
- Reduce energy consumption by 75%
- Reduce potable water consumption by 65%
- Reduce landfill-destined solid waste by 90%
- Reduce internal vehicle trip miles by 40%, and
- Create one community job for every 2 residences.