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, Health / Children's Health, Children
Goal: The goal of the Al's Pals program is to teach children how to practice positive ways to express feelings, relate to others, communicate, brainstorm ideas, solve problems, and differentiate between safe and unsafe substances and situations.
Impact: Studies have shown that the program resulted in higher degrees of positive change in the intervention groups, increases in prosocial behaviors and positive coping behaviors, and decreases in antisocial and negative coping behaviors.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Wellness & Lifestyle
Goal: To increase quality of life and longevity among members of a community through community-wide interventions which address community, social network, habitat, and inner self.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Environmental and Policy Approaches to Increase Physical Activity: Community-Scale Urban Design Land Use Policies (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Older Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Impact: Design and land use policies that encourage physical activity in urban areas can help increase overall physical activity in bikers and walkers.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Reducing Tobacco Use Initiation: Increasing the Unit Price of Tobacco Products (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Adults
Goal: The goals is to make the use of tobacco products less attractive to young people
who have limited incomes and a variety of ways to spend their money.
Impact: These interventions that increase the price of tobacco products
showed strong evidence of their effectiveness in:
• Reducing tobacco use among adolescents and adults
• Reducing population consumption of tobacco products
• Increasing tobacco use cessation
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The goal of the movement of Californians who are becoming Champions for Change are: 1. Eating Healthy; 2. Moving More; 3. Drinking more water and fewer sugary drinks; 4. Using CalFresh benefits to help buy healthier foods for your family; 5. Connecting with other Champions for Change.
Impact: A program using social media and integrated grassroots activities can potentially successfully influence healthy behavior and community-level changes when it comes to eating and drinking healthier and exercising more.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Goal: The goal of the Chemical Management Services model is to reduce chemical use and cost, and to reduce the environmental impact of chemical use.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Goal: The goal of the program is reduction of public health risk by informing and empowering citizens through the cooperation, communication, collaboration, and coordination of government agencies and the private sector.
Community-based Exposure Study and Development of a Community-First Communication Model (San Francisco)
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Rural
Goal: The goal of this study was to address the health effects of PFOA pollution, with a strong desire to implement a community-driven communication strategy to communicate the study results.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Children, Teens, Adults
Goal: To restore the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business and community partnerships.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Physical Activity
Goal: The Fit Kids program aims to increase physical activity and healthy eating by creating healthy school environments that promote health and wellness.