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, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children
Goal: Florida started the drug court movement by creating the first treatment-based drug court in the nation in 1989. The drug court concept was developed in Dade County (Miami, Florida) stemming from a federal mandate to reduce the inmate population or suffer the loss of federal funding. The Supreme Court of Florida recognized the severity of the situation and directed Judge Herbert Klein to research the problem. Judge Klein determined that a large majority of criminal inmates had been incarcerated because of drug charges and were revolving back through the criminal justice system because of underlying problems of drug addiction. It was decided that the delivery of treatment services needed to be coupled with the criminal justice system and the need for strong judicial leadership and partnerships to bring treatment services and the criminal justice system together.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Adults
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce tobacco use in Oregon.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Older Adults, Adults
Goal: To reduce and prevent falls in people with osteoporosis and osteopenia through exercise and education.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to foster positive family relationships.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Disabilities, Children, Families
Goal: The program's mission is to empower families of children with special needs to understand and access the systems that serve them.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Families
Goal: 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 Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Children, Urban
Goal: The goal of this partnership is to provide a healthy breakfast to low-income students to help them perform better in school.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens, Adults
Goal: The mission of the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine is to reduce death and disability due to tobacco use.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Goal: The goal of this common sense cooperation is to provide a new measure of safety to millions of Americans by implementing prevention programs where legislation or regulation does not exist. The preventative measures are based around optimizing treatment plant performance and thus increasing protection against microbial contamination in America's drinking water supply.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Employment, Teens, Families
Goal: 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.