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 / Physical Activity, Children
Goal: The goal of California Farm to School is to teach students about the path that food takes from the farm to their forks while instilling healthy eating habits.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Employment, Teens
Goal: The goal of the California Green Corps is to place 1,000 at-risk young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 into "green" jobs in order to stimulate the economy and provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth while improving and protecting the environment.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Families
Goal: California Healthy Start's mission is to provide comprehensive services that support the wide variety of needs of children and further student learning.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Economic Climate
Goal: The purpose of California Main Street is to educate and provide assistance to California communities about how they can revitalize their downtowns or core commercial districts using the self-help Main Street Four-Point Approach. Through this education on how traditional downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts can become and remain vital economic, social, and cultural centers, the community's development leads to livable and sustainable practices that ultimately improve its quality of life.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Respiratory Diseases
Goal: Effective asthma control can improve quality of life, reduce medical costs, and reduce the number of asthma-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, school and work days missed, days of restricted activity, and deaths each year.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Poverty, Families
Goal: The goal of this program is to provide affordable auto insurance to low-income drivers in California.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Respiratory Diseases, Children, Urban
Goal: The goal of the Cambridge-Somerville Healthy Homes Project is to lower the frequency of asthma attacks in children and help families make their homes safer.
Filed under Good Idea, Education / Educational Attainment, Women, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
Goal: The goal of CAMINOS is to help low-income, Latina immigrants create opportunities for self and economic improvement by teaching them how to use technology.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Investment & Personal Finance
Goal: The goal of this campaign is to help families close the gap between their income and their expenses, and develop financial assets by connecting them to advice about non-predatory, quality financial services, savings options, wealth building resources, credit building, and public benefits.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children, Teens, Urban
Goal: The goal of Caring for Kids is to provide youth impacted by a loved one's substance use with the tools they need to stay safe and build a healthy life, and to reduce the likelihood that impacted youth will abuse substances.
Impact: In 2013, more than 250 youth were impacted by Caring for Kids. 90% of youth participants showed a decreased likelihood of alcohol or other drug use, and 100% completed an action plan.