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, Economy / Employment, Adults
Clothing & Connections' mission is to provide interview and career clothing, information, and referrals to clients in need as they pursue new opportunities for advancement in self-sufficiency. Clients are referred to Clothing & Connections by a group of non-profit member organizations, which include homeless shelters, domestic violence centers, job training programs, and self-sufficiency programs. Clients are fitted with clothing specific to the job they are applying for. In addition, Clothing & Connections offers mini-seminars on topics such as preparing for the job interview, making a positive first impression, and dressing for success on a limited budget.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Adults, Families
The Red Rock Ridge & Valley Trail System will be a complete network of bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails connecting communities across Jefferson County.
The master plan for over 200 miles of shared-use greenways and trails and over 600 miles of street-based bicycle and pedestrian pathways will improve alternative transportation and recreational opportunities.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment
Safe Routes to School programs aim to make it safer for students to walk and bike to school and encourage more walking and biking where safety is not a barrier.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults
Both local and state governments face huge challenges in providing senior populations access to public, agency, professional and family caregivers, and community services that allow seniors to remain independent. The complex maze of constantly changing program and service eligibility rules challenge even the most knowledgeable senior service providers. Fragmentation within senior service agencies further results in duplication of services, unnecessary waiting lists, and caregiver and volunteer burnout. This resource attempts to address those problems by providing quick and easy access to a variety of programs.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Children, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The objectives are to increase knowledge of SIDS risk reduction strategies, including sleep position and roomsharing without bedsharing.
A 15-minute educational session with small groups of parents is effective in informing parents about the importance of safe sleep position and in changing parent behavior for at least the first 6 months of the infant's life.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Children
The goal of this program is to help students acquire social and decision-making skills and to develop their ability to effectively use those skills in real-life and academic situations.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Urban
The goals of the Staying Alive program are to teach drug users about how to recognize opiate overdose signs and symptoms, how to respond to any overdose cases by calling 911, and how to use rescue breathing and naloxone administration to reduce life-threatening drug overdose.
Staying Alive reduces mortality due to opiate and heroin drug overdose.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Families
The goals of this program are to (1) prevent teen substance abuse and other behavior problems; (2) strengthen parenting skills; and (3) build family strengths.
The evaluation demonstrated that youths who participated in the study had less substance use, fewer conduct problems, and better resistance to peer pressure and that program parents were better able to show affection and support and set appropriate limits for their children.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Men, Urban
The goal of this intervention is to reduce high-risk behavior among African American youth as measured by student self-reports of violence, provocative behavior, school delinquency, substance use, and sexual behaviors (intercourse and condom use).
AAYP reduced rates of risky behaviors among male African American youth.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
The Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition (MARR) seeks to improve the use of antimicrobial agents and reduce antimicrobial resistance rates in health care facilities and communities throughout the state of Michigan through the collaborative efforts of academic, community, government, labor and industry partners. MARR seeks to accomplish this mission by serving as a catalyst and facilitator for programs of judicious antimicrobial use, and providing such programs; maintaining a repository of current and credible information about antimicrobial resistance; and participating in clinical interventions and research that will ensure improved antimicrobial use and reduce antimicrobial resistance.