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, Community / Social Environment, Children, Adults, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to provide parents with the necessary skills to improve their parent/child communication and overall family functioning.
Impact: STEP has been implemented in more than 1,000 schools, agencies, churches, and mental health treatment facilities since 1976, reaching more than 4 million parents. Outside the US, STEP has been implemented in Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, and South Korea.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults
Goal: To use tai chi exercise to improve balance and decrease incidence of falls among older adults.
Impact: The program shows that ta chi can significantly improve health-related outcome measures in older adults and such a program can be practically and effectively implemented and maintained in community settings.
The Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan (Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester, SC)
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Transportation
Goal: The Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan is based on three principles:
(1) Children should be able to safely walk and bike to school if they and their parents so choose.
(2) Roadways should equally accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.
(3) Bicycling and walking should become a routine part of daily activity in the BCD region.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Adults, Older Adults
Goal: The goal of The Bridge Model of Transitional Care is to help aging adults transition from the hospital back to their homes and communities safely.
Impact: The Bridge Model of Transitional Care can help lower hospital re-admission rates as well as improve primary care engagement 30 days after being discharged from the hospital.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Adults, Older Adults
Goal: The Guided Care Model aims to better health outcomes and reduce spending for aging adults with multiple chronic conditions.
Impact: The Guided Care Model has been shown to improve quality of care and reduce the use of home health care.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Impact: The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends client reminder and recall interventions to increase vaccination rates in children, adolescents, and adults.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Impact: The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends provider assessment and feedback programs when used alone or when combined with additional interventions to increase vaccination rates among people of all ages from different populations or settings.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children
Goal: The goal of this program is to encourage social and academic development among grade school children who are socially rejected and have serious academic problems in reading or mathematics.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Teens, Women, Families
Goal: The mission of BirthMatters is to provide community-based doula services to vulnerable mothers in need of pregnancy and birth support. The program aims to increase breastfeeding rates and decrease cesarean (c-section) rates among young, low-income mothers.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children, Teens
Goal: The goal of this program is to decrease gang-related activity and to increase socially positive interactions for children and adolescents.