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, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children
The "I Have a Dream"® Program helps children from low-income areas reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment with an assured opportunity for higher education.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Adults, Older Adults
The goal of IMPACT is to improve depression treatment by providing collaborative care to older adults.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Other Conditions
The goal of this study was to determine the effect Community Health Worker programs have on healthcare spending.
The studies show that CHW programs can help reduce emergency department visits and hospital use.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
In 2002, the health department changed the clinic site and operation to accomplish the following three goals: 1) to conduct a mass vaccination involving other community agencies, businesses and health providers; 2) to distribute influenza vaccination in the community for greater equity and accountability; and 3) to introduce the citizens to the concept and process of a mass vaccination drill.
Integrating Community Service with Higher Education Student Government Programming (Sonoma County, CA)
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Civic Engagement, Teens
The goal is to integrate community service programs at colleges and universities into the programming objectives of student government organizations in order to achieve greater student involvement and more stable funding.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children
The program’s goals are to provide early intervention and greater accountability for juveniles charged with weapons offenses, help juveniles recognize and use nonviolent means to promote their safety and preserve their self-esteem, and effectively deliver the message that gun violence hurts victims, families, and communities.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of this program is to reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke through changes in community health policies, environment, and individual lifestyle behaviors that will impact the health and wellness of area fourth grade school students.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Adults, Older Adults
To reduce death from heart disease among their members in Northern California.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
Keepin' it REAL aims to reduce adolescent alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Social Environment, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Families, Urban
The goal of Kinship Connections is to support kin families' social, emotional, and economic needs to increase placement stability within the child’s community. Specific program objectives are to improve family economic security, family relationship functioning, child well-being, and to increase kin caregiver social support.
1Center on the Developing Child. (2007). The impact of early adversity on children’s development (InBrief). Retrieved from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/ resources/inbrief-the-impact-of-early-adversity-onchildrens-development.
2 Generations United. (2017). In loving arms: The protective role of grandparents and other relatives in raising children exposed to trauma. Retrieved from https://dl2.pushbulletusercontent.com/ uhDY7UgdGYnOod6G7VFkdKnuzE3yALmr/17- InLovingArms-Grandfamilies.pdf.