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 / School Environment, Children, Urban
Goal: The incomparable resources of these institutions offer a unique "urban advantage" to New York City students, and enhance middle schools' capacity to achieve science education goals. Student investigations at QBG and partner institutions lead to exciting questions that culminate in Exit Projects and give firsthand knowledge of how scientists work in various fields.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: City Slicker Farms offers a range of educational programs through its Urban Farming Education initiative to enable individuals and communities to grow their own food.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Urban
Goal: The goal of the Urban Mold and Moisture Program is to reduce environmental mold, moisture, and asthma triggers in homes to improve pediatric respiratory health.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Community & Business Resources, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Older Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The mission of the Pasadena Community Gardens Conservancy is to improve family health in urban food desert neighborhoods through grants for community gardens and nutrition education.
Impact: Pasadena Community Gardens Conservancy partnered with the City of Pasadena to establish the Villa-Parke Community Center, where community members can learn about gardening, cooking, nutrition.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Teens, Adults, Men, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: 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.
Impact: Patients who participated in the Violence Intervention Program were less likely to be re-hospitalized due to violent injury.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Urban
Goal: The goal of the "walking school bus" is to increase children's rates of active commuting to school and physical activity.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Women
Goal: The goal of the WOMAN Study is to reduce the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis by reducing weight and waist circumference through dietary changes and physical activity.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Public Safety, Children, Teens, Adults, Families, Urban
Goal: The goals of this program are three-fold: first, to remove unwanted improperly stored guns from homes; second, to educate the community about the increased risk of gun-related injuries in the home and the importance of safe gun storage; and third, to identify individuals possessing improperly stored guns at home and provide them with safety information and alternatives.
Impact: This program shows a strong collaboration between health care providers and public safety offices and showcases a low-cost means of removing unwanted firearms from the community. Additionally, most participants felt their homes were safer after turning in their firearm(s).
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Adults, Men
Goal: The goal of this exercise program was to reduce the incidence of diseases related to lifestyle, such as cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic heart diseases, and to preserve and promote workers' health.
Impact: The exercise program proved to be effective in increasing adaptive walking speed and in lowering waist to hip ratio.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Adolescent Health, Children, Teens, Urban
Goal: The goal of the Young Parents Program is to help inner city teenage parents learn positive attitudes, behaviors, and parenting skills so that their children experience healthy growth and development a during their early and critical years.