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, Health / Children's Health, Children, Teens
The goal of cooperative learning is to establish positive interdependence among students. When positive interdependence is established in group learning situations, the quality of peer interaction improves. Instead of competing with or ignoring one another, students are more likely to promote the success of one another through mutual assistance, emotional support, and the sharing of ideas or resources. These positive social interactions, in turn, encourage greater social acceptance and the development of positive relationships among students and, in educational contexts, promote greater academic motivation and achievement (Johnson & Johnson, 1989, 2005). In fact, research on social interaction suggests that gains in social skills alone are insufficient to reduce social problems among students and encourage more positive peer relations. Only positive interdependence, and the subsequent positive social interactions that arise from it, can motivate youth to re-evaluate previous conclusions regarding the social desirability of others (Bierman, 2004).
Cooperative learning can have positive effects on adolescent bullying, alcohol use, and tobacco use.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of the CARE Program is to raise community awareness about asthma, coordinate services within target communities, and help families learn how to control and manage asthma.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children, Teens
The goal of this program is to prevent depression and other mood disorders in adolescents.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Urban
Corporation for Supportive Housing's mission is to help communities create permanent housing with services to prevent and end homelessness.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Prevention & Safety, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The goal of the CDP was to improve health care access for incarcerated individuals and at-risk minority populations disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Teens
The goal of this program is to prevent suicide and reduce depression among high-school students.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Older Adults, Families
Cradle Kansas City only has one goal, to close the health equity gap. By doing this, they will impact premature birth and infant and maternal mortality. They accomplish this through partnerships medical systems, resident-built strategies, and clear messaging that is aimed at systemic change.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Economic Climate
The goal of Crosstown 116 was to foster participatory planning, sustainability, gender equity, increased awareness, and housing alternatives.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Transportation, Children, Teens, Adults, Urban
The goal of Cycles of Change is to enable community members to use bicycles as a primary form of transportation through bicycle education and distribution programs.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Children, Teens
The goal of the D.C. Schoolyard Greening program is to increase and improve schoolyard green spaces in order to promote ecological literacy and environmental stewardship among students, teachers, parents and the community.