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 / Heart Disease & Stroke, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The goal of this program is to improve cardiovascular health among residents of the Atlanta Empowerment Zone (AEZ).
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Cancer, Women, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The goal of this program is to encourage low-income African American and Hispanic women to seek early breast and cervical cancer screening.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children
Goal: The primary goal of the program is to reduce the level of children's psychological problems, as well as preventing the development of more serious problems among children who are not referred for formal mental health services.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Literacy, Children, Teens
Goal: The goal of READ 180 is to improve literacy among children and teenagers through curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Literacy, Children
Goal: The goal of this program is to help children who are having difficulty learning to read and write.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Men
Goal: To reduce the frequency of unprotected vaginal and anal sexual intercourse among sexually active men in drug treatment.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Employment, Adults, Urban
Goal: The mission of Rebuild Resources is to help addicts and alcoholics be sober, self-sufficient and of service by providing meaningful, transitional employment in business enterprises we own and operate.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Adults, Women, Men, Urban
Goal: The mission of Reconciliation Services is to cultivate a community seeking reconciliation to transform Troost from a dividing line into a gathering place, revealing the strength of all. Our mental health services are at the heart of how we strive to help clients see their own strength and work towards being reconciled to their own health and well-being.
Impact: Over the past three years, our therapy program participants reported a 71 percent decrease for depression and 79 percent decrease for PTSD.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Teens
Goal: The Reconnecting Youth program has three main goals: 1) increase school performance; 2) decrease drug involvement; and 3) decrease suicide-risk behaviors.
Impact: Significant increases in positive connections with teachers, friends, and family members; significant improvements in GPA; lasting reductions in hard drug use; decreases in anger-control problems; reductions in depression and hopelessness; and increases in enhancing personal control were observed.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Civic Engagement, Children, Urban
Goal: The primary goal of RCCP is to increase children's levels of knowledge regarding ways in which to approach conflict situations, to develop children's conflict resolution skills, and to promote children's positive interpersonal and intergroup relations. In addition, RCCP attempts to combat prejudice and stereotypes, and the various types of conflict and violence that may arise as a result of these issues, by teaching children how to recognize and oppose prejudice and by increasing their respect for and understanding of diversity. Finally, RCCP aims to transform the overall school culture into one that exemplifies nonviolent conflict resolution and a respect for and openness to diversity.