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, Community / Public Safety, Children, Teens, Adults, Families, Urban
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.
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 / Disabilities, Adults
The program's goal was to eliminate the waiting period for access to health care benefits for newly entitled SSDI beneficiaries, and see if this investment has long-term benefits.
The AB Demonstration project successfully increased the use of health care services and reduced the reported unmet health care needs of participants in the program.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children, Teens
The goal of this program is to provide abused, abandoned and neglected girls and boys with a safe, caring, loving environment where they gain confidence to get better and learn skills to become productive citizens.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Children
The goal of this program is to improve the academic performance and cognitive development of young children who are considered at risk for developmental delays and school failure.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children, Teens, Urban
A goal of the program is to reduce high-risk youth involvement in the criminal justice system by intervening immediately or very soon after youth are violently injured.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children
To improve children's nutritional status, increase their activity level, enhance their self-esteem, and create life-long health habits by using a multidisciplinary, community- and family-based system approach, and by engaging local health care professionals with community agencies.
The Fit Kids/Fit Families program shows that multidisciplinary, community- and family-based approaches to children's exercise, weight, & nutrition can have an effect on healthier nutritional choices, increased physical activity, decreased sedentary activity, healthier behaviors, and BMI reductions.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Urban
The goal of this program was to reduce energy usage by 10 to 20 percent.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Energy & Sustainability
-assist lowincome customers,
-reduce energy use at city facilities and
-coordinate action between the city and its largest electric customers to implement emergency demand reduction/ load-shedding programs.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Energy & Sustainability, Urban
Specific goals included:
-Continue to support SCVWD's mission of water supply and management in spite of external power interruptions,
- Provide 24-hour battery backup for SCADA instrumentation and communications,
-Provide indefinite power backup via backup generators for critical source pumping, water treatment and emergency operations, and
- Reduce HVAC and lighting use to prudent levels.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alternative Medicine, Older Adults
HeartStrings mission statement is as follows:
1) To enhance the quality of life of underserved populations through live, interactive, and exceptional quality musical experiences that are informed by the American Music Therapy Association’s Standards of Practice.
2) To bring meaningful arts experiences directly to participants in a comfortable and
familiar setting.
3) To provide a valuable resource for facilities that serve aging populations, adults with dementia, and individuals with disabilities, or long-term illnesses.
HeartStrings has reached over 3,200 individuals with disabilities, long-term illness, and assisted-living needs, as well as aging adults with dementia since its start in 2006.