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 / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Children, Families
The goal of Early Head Start (EHS) is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, enhance the development of very young children, and promote healthy family functioning. The goal of Head Start is to increase school readiness of young children in low-income families.
Studies have demonstrated positive effects of the program for both 3- and 4-year-old children on pre-reading, pre-writing, vocabulary, and parent reports of children’s literacy skills. For 3-year-olds, a greater number of parents reported improved access to health care and better health status.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children, Teens, Families, Urban
The mission of Head to Toe is to teach children and their families the skills to manage body weight as they grow by living a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity, healthy eating habits, and a positive self-image.
From August 2011 to May 2016, 485 children and their parents or guardians have enrolled in the Head to Toe program. Head to Toe has effectively increased knowledge of nutrition, physical activity and emotional health among participants.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Families
The goals of the program included helping unemployed, noncustodial parents (primarily fathers) to secure employment, pay child support, and participate more fully and responsibly as parents.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Oral Health, Children, Families, Urban
The goal of this intervention was to involve pediatricians to help reduce rates of early childhood caries.
The multifaceted ECC intervention was associated with increased provider knowledge and counseling, and significantly attenuated incidence of ECC, showing that similar interventions could have the potential to make a significant public health impact on reducing ECC among young children.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Adults
The mission of the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine is to reduce death and disability due to tobacco use.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Employment, Teens, Families
This study addresses how to use national service to build effective welfare-to-work programs, and to encourage business collaborations. Two major suggestions are partnering with Employer Advisory Groups and generating national level support.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Older Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The mission of the PAX Tools for Human Services program is to empower individuals and communities to create a more nurturing environment with universal access to research-based prevention science in order to improve the well-being and lifetime outcomes of people from all walks of life around the world.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children
The goal of PALS is to ensure that all students succeed in reading and math.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Air
EPA's partners have committed to reduce PFC emissions 10 percent below their 1995 baseline by 2010.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Cancer, Adults, Women, Urban
The goal of the Prevention Care Management program is to increase cancer screening among women.
Prevention Care Management increased mammography rates, cervical cancer screening rates, and colorectal cancer screening rates among participating women.