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 / Children's Health, Children, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The goal of the Lowfat Lucy program is to encourage children to drink low-fat white milk.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Men
Goal: The goal of Man Therapy is to change social norms regarding men's mental health and to encourage men to seek care.
Impact: Almost 60,000 "18-Point Head Inspections" or self-assessments were completed, and 19,586 people accessed the crisis information. Of the 7,933 visitors to the site surveyed, 51% agreed or strongly agreed they were more likely to seek help after visiting the site.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Adults
Goal: Mass in Motion aims to reduce obesity and promote healthy eating and physical activity through school and workplace policy changes, grants for communities, and an educational website.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Families, Urban
Goal: McAuley Village attempts to take poor single parents from a life of welfare dependence to one of independence. Although primarily a housing program, it also holistically addresses the many factors contributing to the vulnerability of these families, while attempting to tailor a solution to each family.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment
Goal: The goal of this program is to promote positive family relationships, help incarcerated fathers learn skills to be active and involved fathers, encourage incarcerated fathers to
provide financial support for their children, facilitate programs for offender families through community partnerships, and provide constructive opportunities for children to participate in special activities with their incarcerated father.
Filed under Good Idea, Education
Goal: McREL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan education research, development, and service organization that helps schools, districts, and education agencies improve outcomes for all students. We help school and system clients in all kinds of communities analyze their performance, identify the root causes of challenges, build their staff capacities, and find the under-used bright spots they can scale up to make an even bigger difference for every student.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Adults
Goal: The Measure Up program helps participants lose weight and learn to live healthier lifestyles through better eating habits.
Impact: Participants of the Measure Up program receive personalized assistance from registered dietitians to improve eating and exercise habits.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens
Goal: Media-Smart Youth aims to stimulate youth to think about physical activity and nutrition by developing an awareness of the link between media and health.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Older Adults, Urban
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce medication-related problems among senior home health patients.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Transportation, Urban
Goal: The goal of this project was to support community revitalization, retain the integrity of an historic district, and provide transportation links to private land development projects.