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 Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Teens, Urban
The goal of the TACOS program was to use an environmental intervention to increase the availability and consumption of lower-fat foods in a la carte areas of secondary school cafeterias.
The TACOS program successfully increased both the availability and sale of lower-fat foods in a la carte areas of secondary school cafeterias.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children, Teens
The Twelve Together program seeks to help students stay in school and make academic progress.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Urban
- To reduce street homelessness and the shelter population by two-thirds in five years.
- To eliminate chronic, or long-term, homelessness on City streets and shelters in five years.
The plan's objectives include initiatives to better serve individuals and families who are at-risk of homelessness or who become homeless, as well as ensure that the City and its citizens are maximizing public resources. The plan has nine points - encompassing 60 initiatives - that seek to:
- Overcome street homelessness
- Prevent homelessness
- Coordinate discharge planning
- Coordinate city services and benefits
- Minimize disruption to homeless families and children
- Minimize duration of homelessness
- Shift resources into preferred solutions
- Provide resources for vulnerable populations to access and afford housing
- Measure progress, evaluate success, and invest in continuous quality improvement.
Filed under Effective Practice, Art & Recreation / Theater & Movies, Children, Urban
Urban Improv’s mission is to challenge young people to meet the major issues in their lives head-on. By participating in an innovative, interactive curriculum, students develop the necessary skills of problem solving, cooperation, and leadership.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends standing orders for vaccinations—when used alone or when combined with additional interventions—to increase vaccination rates among adults and children from different populations or settings.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens
The goal of this study was to investigate how video games can be utilized to promote healthy behavior changes in diet, physical activity, and adiposity to reduce adverse health effects.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Domestic Violence & Abuse
for violent injury and criminal activity among persons
living in and around Baltimore.
Participants of the Violence Intervention Program saw a decrease in repeat hospitalizations, a decrease in violent crime and a higher rate of employment compared to those not in the program.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Teens, Adults, Men, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
The goal of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) is to reduce the number of repeat victims of intentional violent injury by providing assessment, counseling, and social support from a multi-disciplinary team.
Patients who participated in the Violence Intervention Program were less likely to be re-hospitalized due to violent injury.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Public Safety, Children, Urban
The WalkSafe program was developed to improve pediatric pedestrian safety, increase physical activity levels by encouraging children to walk to and from school, and improve the walkability in and around elementary schools.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Adults
To increase the abstinence rate of smokers over the age of 18 through a supplemental, online, tailored smoking cessation program.
The Committed Quitters Stop Smoking Plan has been successful at increasing the abstinence rate for smokers enrolled in the plan. Abstinence was higher for enrollees of the plan after 28 days and after 10-weeks.