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 Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Families, Urban
Managed through the Child and Adolescent Services Branch of the Milwaukee County Mental Health Division in Wisconsin, Wraparound Milwaukee attempts to meet the mental heath, substance abuse, social service, and other supportive needs of the most complex youths in the Milwaukee community.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Diabetes, Adults
The goal is for participants to lose seven percent of their body weight and increase their physical activity to 150 minutes per week in order to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Adolescent Health, Children, Teens, Urban
The goal of the Young Parents Program is to help inner city teenage parents learn positive attitudes, behaviors, and parenting skills so that their children experience healthy growth and development a during their early and critical years.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Children, Teens, Urban
Community Memorial Foundation's goal was two-fold: to decrease stigma surrounding youth depression and suicide and increase teen utilization of the Crisis Text Line.
An awareness campaign that incorporates age- and culturally-appropriate actors through various media can successfully increase teen and adolescent usage of a crisis text hotline.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Teens
Youth Villages helps children and families live successfully.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Teens
The goal of this program is to enhance the resiliency of children in order to promote positive development and prevent them from engaging in high-risk behaviors such as substance use, early sexual activity, or violence.
Studies of the program showed that participants' reactions to situations involving drug use and their attitudes toward school, the future, and elders were significantly better than those without the intervention. Students in the program also had fewer days absent from school than nonparticipants.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Children, Teens, Adults, Rural
The goal of MTO was to impact behavior and lifestyle choices by changing neighborhood environments.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Families
The mission of this program is to provide the information, support and encouragement parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life.
The Parents as Teachers (PAT) program had no effect on improving child or parent outcomes.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Education / School Environment, Teens
The goals of this program are to decrease student anonymity, to increase student accountability, and to enhance students' abilities to learn school rules and exceptions.
Note: This practice has been Archived.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Social Environment, Children, Teens, Families, Rural
The goal of this project was to prevent substance abuse among high-risk youth in Arizona.
Participants in the experimental group experienced significant differences in family relations, significant decrease in alcohol and other drugs, and also a significant decrease of alcohol use by family members. Participants of the control group did not experience similar impacts.