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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.

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The Loading Dock (Baltimore, MD)

Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants

Goal: TLD's mission is to increase the supply and use of affordable building materials for housing and community improvement by redirecting landfill-bound, reusable materials into productive use.

The PanAfrican Acupuncture Project (Brookline, MA)

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alternative Medicine

Goal: The goal of the PanAfrican Acupuncture Project is to train locals in acupuncture techniques so that they can use this alternative healing method in their communities to treat symptoms of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB.

The PedNet Coalition (Columbia, MO)

Filed under Good Idea, Community / Transportation

Goal: The goal of the Coalition is to give citizens a real choice regarding the mode of transportation they elect for traveling to work, school, or recreaton as well as to encourage healthier lifestyles and a cleaner environment.

The Veggie Project at the Monroe Carell, Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt (Davidson)

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Older Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban

Goal: To make Nashville a healthier community by improving access to fresh fruits and vegetables in food desert neighborhoods while supporting local farmers and empowering and educating youth.

The Westside Prevention Project Low Rider Bike Club (San Bernardino, CA)

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Urban

Goal: The goal of this program is to educate high-risk youth in San Bernardino about issues such as gangs, violence, and substance abuse. The program encourages participation by appealing to the low rider bike subculture, which neighborhood teens readily relate to.

TransForm (Alameda)

Filed under Good Idea, Community / Transportation, Adults, Families

Goal: TransForm aims to create world-class public transportation and walkable communities in the Bay Area and beyond.

Turn it Off - Toronto's program to reduce car idling (Toronto)

Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Transportation, Adults, Urban

Goal: Toronto’s “Turn it Off” initiative sought to encourage motorists to avoid idling their cars when picking up or dropping off at school or at public transportation terminals, which in turn would improve air quality and help reduce urban contribution to climate change.

Urban Farming Education (West Oakland, CA)

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.

Vaccination Programs: Provider Reminders

CDC

Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases

Impact: The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends provider reminders—when used alone or when combined with additional interventions—to increase vaccination rates among people of all ages from different populations or settings.

Vestey Center (Superior, NE)

Filed under Good Idea, Community / Community & Business Resources, Older Adults

Goal: The goal of the Vestey Center is to provide vital services and resources to the elderly of Superior, Nebraska and serve as a community center for the larger community.

An Effective Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success and/or promise in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures of improvement in outcome of interest (i.e. increase in voter registration, not just delivery of voter registration drive) and/ or the outcome measure is increased or improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant.

A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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