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 Local, Good Idea, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Adults
To reduce the number of heroin overdose deaths in the community and to provide immediate peer support to those in crisis.
COAT peers counselors are able to provide immediate response and support to help individuals achieve long-term recovery.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Civic Engagement, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The mission of Asistencia para Latinos is to empower the Latino community towards self-sufficiency through service, education, advocacy, and inter-agency collaboration. The Winds of Change is a movement developed by Asistencia para Latinos to address the issues of cultural isolation and language barriers presented by the new population of immigrants coming to the rural resort areas of Colorado.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Cancer, Adults
The goal of this program is to improve colorectal cancer screening rates among older adults.
Participants in the intervention group had significantly higher colorectal cancer screening attendance, as well as having more positive attitudes about screening and placing a higher priority on screening.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Wellness & Lifestyle
The goal of this program is to create a connection to nature, gardening and hiking for the Kalihi valley's urban residents.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Nutrition & Healthy Eating, Rural
CVAN is the Kansas conduit for tons of healthy produce from the Catholic Charities Mary Martha Organization--the steward of excess highly perishable high quality foods from a huge Walmart Distribution Center in Oklahoma. As food supplies allow, CVAN distributes to the 100 square mile school district and to share with a networked family of pantries and volunteer organizations in five Kansas counties and South Coffeyville, OK. As needed, CVAN has recruited distribution volunteers in covering communities within this economically depressed region. The network family was built upon the CVAN’s supply of fresh produce, but is now blessing this area with distribution of CARES foods during the COVID crisis. Its volunteers are food warriors--winning in the fight against rural hunger.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Built Environment
The goal of the Cornell Waste Management Institute project was to increase the capacity to compost the tremendous amount of food scraps produced in New York State.
Filed under Good Idea, Education / Literacy, Teens, Families, Rural
Since late 1996 the Silver Valley Learning Center has been helping students with low reading levels improve literacy and achieve personal educational goals. By offering these services, the Silver Valley Learning Center hopes to enhance self-esteem and motivation for the adults in its community, which can hedge against depression and related problems such as alcohol abuse and domestic violence.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Older Adults, Families
The overarching goal of the Healthy Silicon Valley collaborative is to increase nutrition and physical activity opportunities by positively changing the built environment.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Teens
The school's philosophy is "to provide the individual student with the academic and vocational/technical skills essential to achieve success in a productive career as well as to provide the global community with a highly qualified and prepared workforce."
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.