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, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children, Teens
The Twelve Together program seeks to help students stay in school and make academic progress.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality
The goal of this program is to provide eyeglasses to people in developing countries and to involve students in improving conditions in developing countries.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Urban
- To reduce street homelessness and the shelter population by two-thirds in five years.
- To eliminate chronic, or long-term, homelessness on City streets and shelters in five years.
The plan's objectives include initiatives to better serve individuals and families who are at-risk of homelessness or who become homeless, as well as ensure that the City and its citizens are maximizing public resources. The plan has nine points - encompassing 60 initiatives - that seek to:
- Overcome street homelessness
- Prevent homelessness
- Coordinate discharge planning
- Coordinate city services and benefits
- Minimize disruption to homeless families and children
- Minimize duration of homelessness
- Shift resources into preferred solutions
- Provide resources for vulnerable populations to access and afford housing
- Measure progress, evaluate success, and invest in continuous quality improvement.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Children, Urban
The incomparable resources of these institutions offer a unique "urban advantage" to New York City students, and enhance middle schools' capacity to achieve science education goals. Student investigations at QBG and partner institutions lead to exciting questions that culminate in Exit Projects and give firsthand knowledge of how scientists work in various fields.
Filed under Effective Practice, Art & Recreation / Theater & Movies, Children, Urban
Urban Improv’s mission is to challenge young people to meet the major issues in their lives head-on. By participating in an innovative, interactive curriculum, students develop the necessary skills of problem solving, cooperation, and leadership.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Civic Engagement, Teens, Older Adults, Urban
The program strives to provide jobs for young people and fresh produce for low-income seniors.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Government Assistance
The goal of this program is to promote stability by preventing families and individuals from being evicted.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Teens
The goal of Vaccinate Before You Graduate is to ensure that all high school students have a chance to be fully immunized before they graduate.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Teens, Adults, Men, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
The goal of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) is to reduce the number of repeat victims of intentional violent injury by providing assessment, counseling, and social support from a multi-disciplinary team.
Patients who participated in the Violence Intervention Program were less likely to be re-hospitalized due to violent injury.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Teens, Urban
The goals of the curriculum are to 1) illustrate that violence is preventable, 2) teach students that anger is a normal part of life and that anger can be expressed and channeled in healthy, constructive ways, 3) help students understand that controlling anger and violence is part of maturing, 4) identify positive ways for students to express their anger, and 5) help them think about and use alternatives to violence in conflict situations.