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, Children, Women, Urban
The mission of Sheffield Place is "to empower homeless mothers and their children to heal from their trauma and help them become self-sufficient." The goal of the Aftercare program is to provide continuing supportive services once the families have transitioned from the residential program to permanent housing in the community. In this way, the families receive the support they need to maintain or increase income, maintain or improve mental health functioning, and maintain permanent housing.
This program provides vital supportive services for formerly-homeless families in recovery. Sheffield Place grew from serving just 20 families in 2010 to serving 132 families in 2017 (102 in residential and 30 in aftercare).
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
The goal of this program is to involve community partners in reviewing individual deaths, generating recommendations for improved community collaboration, and initiating new practices.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children
The goal of this program is to prevent delinquency, substance abuse, and school dropout in high risk children.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Environmental Justice, Children
To enhance academic performance and imbue global citizenship by nurturing children’s creativity, developing empathy, and instilling healthy lifestyles.
Filed under Good Idea, Education / Student Performance K-12, Teens, Urban
The goal of the Arts Residency Interventions in Special Education (ARISE) Project is to help youth develop creative expression, critical thinking, and basic learning through the arts.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of this program is to reduce the triggers of asthma by educating and increasing awareness to at risk populations.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Adults, Urban
The mission of At The Crossroads is to reach out to homeless youth and young adults at their point of need, and provide them with services and programs that will empower them and improve their lives.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Children
The primary goal of this clinic is to make immunizations more available to parents in an area where children have been identified as lacking needed immunizations.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
The purpose of the exercise was to train health and emergency medical personnel in planning for and responding to large scale disease outbreaks. The most proven method to assure an effective response to a real event is to practice a well-coordinated multi-agency field exercise.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Investment & Personal Finance, Adults, Families, Urban
The goal of Banking on the Future is to help low-income residents achieve financial stability.