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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.

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Social Determinants of Health: Permanent Supportive Housing with Housing First (Housing First Programs)

CDC

Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes

Impact: The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends permanent supportive housing with Housing First (Housing First programs) to promote health equity for people who are experiencing homelessness and have a disabling condition.

Evidence shows Housing First programs decrease homelessness, increase housing stability, and improve quality of life for homeless persons living with disabling conditions, including those with HIV infection. For clients living with HIV infection, these programs also improve clinical indicators and mental health and reduce mortality. Housing First programs also lead to reduced hospitalization and use of emergency departments for homeless persons with disabling conditions, including HIV infection.

The CPSTF finds the economic benefits exceed the intervention cost for Housing First Programs in the United States. Because homelessness is associated with lower income and is more common among racial and ethnic minority populations, Housing First Programs are likely to advance health equity.

Affordable Housing in Arlington, Virginia (Arlington, VA)

Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Housing & Homes

Goal: The mission of AHC is twofold: to preserve the supply of affordable housing in the mid-Atlantic region, especially Northern Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland; and to ensure that properties developed or owned by AHC enhance the quality of life in the neighborhoods where they are located.

Alaska's Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) (Alaska)

Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes

Goal: The mission of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation is to provide Alaskans access to safe, quality, affordable housing.

At the Crossroads (ATC) (San Francisco, CA)

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Adults, Urban

Goal: The mission of At The Crossroads is to reach out to homeless youth and young adults at their point of need, and provide them with services and programs that will empower them and improve their lives.

Blueprint to End Homelessness (Indianapolis, IN)

Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Families, Urban

Goal: The goal of Blueprint to End Homelessness is to prevent people from becoming homeless and to improve access to services for those currently experiencing homelessness.

Building Tulsa, Building Lives (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Urban

Goal: Building Tulsa, Building Lives aims to end chronic homelessness in the city of Tulsa within five years (2007-2012) by creating sustainable, supportive housing through a public-private partnership of government agencies, philanthropic organizations, faith-based organizations and local communities.

Campaign for a Clean, Safe and Habitable Community (Los Angeles, CA)

Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Urban

Goal: The mission of this project is to improve the safety and living conditions for residents of Boyle Heights and to empower those residents to make positive changes in their communitites and their lives.

Chattanooga Affordable Housing (Chattanooga, TN)

Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes

Goal: The goal of this program is to provide fit and livable housing for all citizens of Chattanooga.

Chicago Community Loan Fund (Chicago, IL)

Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes

Goal: CCLF's vision is to work creatively with their clients to help them rejuvenate neighborhoods and improve the lives of low-wealth individuals and families who live in those communities.

Come Home Baltimore (Baltimore, MD)

Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Families, Urban

Goal: Come Home Baltimore is an initiative to develop "better than new" market rate housing and foster forward thinking and grassroots social change towards sustainable community development.

An Effective Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success and/or promise in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures of improvement in outcome of interest (i.e. increase in voter registration, not just delivery of voter registration drive) and/ or the outcome measure is increased or improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant.

A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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