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 Good Idea, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Teens
The goal of this program is to teach conflict-resolution skills to middle-school students.
Studies showed a statistically significant increase in students' awareness of how their own behaviors contribute to the escalation of a conflict situation for students participating in SMARTteam when compared with the control group not receiving the intervention. Students in the intervention group were also less likely to value violence as an option in conflict situations than their peers in the control group.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Air
The goal of this partnership is to improve the environmental performance and fuel efficiency of the US freight sector (truck & rail) through the use of a voluntary market incentive system and to encourage retailers/end users to choose trucking and/or rail companies that are environmental leaders in their respective industry segments.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Oral Health, Children
S4L strives to create self-confidence and change the lives of underprivileged children by providing orthodontic services at no cost.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Teens
The goal of this program is to teach young adolescents self-control, stress management, social problem solving, and communication skills, and to encourage them to use those skills for the prevention of substance use and high-risk sexual behavior.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Children
The goal of this program is to help students acquire social and decision-making skills and to develop their ability to effectively use those skills in real-life and academic situations.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children, Teens, Urban
Spark's mission is to provide life-changing apprenticeships to youth in underserved communities across the United States.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Children, Teens, Families
The objective of the Special Edition Sickle Cell Newscast is to increase the public's awareness of Sickle Cell Disease and to train lifelong advocates for SCD among the teen population.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Children, Teens, Families, Urban
The free sports medicine physicals provided by Jackson Hospital & Clinic helps thousands of parents, 25 schools, and hundreds of coaches ensure that students are healthy enough to participate in athletic programs when school starts in the fall.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Transportation, Children, Urban
The goal of the Springfield Safe Communities project was to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic crash fatalities, and to increase seat belt use throughout the city and surrounding areas.
St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center Community-Building/Vocational Services Initiative (Syracuse, NY)
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Adults, Urban
The goal of St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center's Community-Building/Vocational Services Initiative is to revitalize the neighborhood by increasing community development and job placement.