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, Economy / Poverty, Adults, Women, Men, Families, Urban
Salzer MS, Schwenk E, Brusilovskiy E: Certified peer specialist roles and activities: results from a national survey. Psychiatric Services 61:520–523, 2010.
Repper J, Carter T: A review of the literature on peer support in mental health services. Journal of Mental Health 20: 392–411, 2011.
Cook JA: Peer-delivered wellness recovery services: from evidence to widespread implementation. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 35:87–89, 2011
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Children, Adults, Families, Rural
The goal of FamilyWize is to reduce the cost of medicine for children, families, and individuals with no prescription drug coverage.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children
The mission of the Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior (IVDB) is to empower schools and social service agencies to address violence and destructive behavior, at the point of school entry and beyond, in order to ensure safety and to facilitate the academic achievement and healthy social development of children and youth. The primary goal of this program is to divert antisocial kindergartners from an antisocial behavior pattern during their subsequent school careers and to develop in them the competencies needed to build effective teacher- and peer-related, social-behavioral adjustments.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Rural
The goal of this project was to reduce electricity usage by 10-20 percent.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Adults
The goal of FAST is to improve patients' independence and quality of life.
Studies have shown that FAST-treated patients' performance on everyday living skills improved significantly compared to non-participants. They also demonstrated significant improvement in social and communication skills at 6-month follow-up.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Family Planning, Teens
The goal of this program is to decrease pregnancy in adolescent and teenage girls.
Those who participated in one or more program components were significantly less likely to experience pregnancy than nonparticipants (5.9% vs 12.3%). Those who participated in two or more program components were significantly less likely to engage in sexual intercourse without birth control than those who participated in only a single program component (8.9% vs 20.6%).
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Air, Urban
The mission of Greater Boston Breathes Better is to help greater Boston’s citizens and visitors to breathe better.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alternative Medicine, Rural
The goal of GUAMAP is to train rural community health workers to provide remote settlements in northern Guatemala with access to sustainable, low-cost, low-technology, effective health care through the use of acupuncture.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Families
The primary goal of GGC is to reduce youth substance abuse and problem behaviors by increasing family involvement that is rewarding and enhances parent-child bonds.
Significant positive effects on increasing family involvement and interaction and reducing youth substance abuse were observed. A cost-benefit analysis estimates a $5.85 benefit for every dollar invested in the program.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children
The goal of full-day kindergarten programs is to prepare children academically, socially, and emotionally for effective participation in the educational system.
Children who enroll in full-day kindergarten programs see improved scores on standardized tests and assigned grades than those enrolled in half-day kindergarten programs. Those enrolled in full-day programs also see increased social-emotional health.