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 Local, Good Idea, Health / Diabetes, Adults, Urban
Goal: The goal of this workshop is to build the participants’ self-confidence in their ability to manage their health and maintain active and fulfilling lives despite their chronic disease condition.
Impact: In 2016 Derby Health Collaborative hosted six free self-management education courses in partnership with the Derby School District, the Derby Senior Center, the Derby Public Library and the Kansas State Extension and Research Center. Workshops will continue in 2017.
Dementia Care Certificate: A Comprehensive Walk Through Caring for Someone With Dementia (Overland Park, Kansas)
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Health / Older Adults, Older Adults
Goal: To improve the quality of life for persons with dementia regardless of the setting and provide caregivers with the insight and tools needed for the care they provide.
Impact: The Dementia Care Certificate program has improved practices in skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and additionally has resolved countless problems for family and home caregivers.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Health / Cancer, Adults, Rural
Goal: To get as many age appropriate people screened as possible in the community and to raise awareness about the life-saving practice of colorectal screening.
Impact: Many cancers have been found and many have been prevented. The population has expressed gratitude for this program and the partners (such as the pharmacies and the hospital lab) are proud to be part of it.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Health / Women's Health, Women, Rural
Goal: To increase access to and use of mammography as a means of early detection of breast cancer.
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health, Adults, Women, Families
Goal: To improve the health and well-being of Kansans by working collaboratively to promote, protect and support breastfeeding.
Filed under Local, Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
Goal: Kansas’s Step It Up: Taking Steps to Healthy Success (Step It Up) Project aims to work towards making improvements to policies and practices in child care programs with regard to breastfeeding, child nutrition, physical activity, outdoor learning, and reductions in screen time. Step It Up is an extension of the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) and uses a similar learning collaborative model.
Impact: Step It Up: Taking Steps to Healthy Success has made great improvements in promoting healthy eating and physical activity. The topics of Child Nutrition and Infant & Child Physical Activity had the highest number of increases in best practices. Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding had the highest percentage of best practices being met at pre-assessment (55%).
Filed under Local, Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Children, Families, Rural
Goal: The mission of the Teddy Bear Clinic is to decrease fear of medical professionals and the hospital environment, and to teach healthy habits at a young age.
Impact: The program has been highly regarded throughout the community, and we have had requests from parents outside the community to offer it to their schools as well. We are considering hosting two clinics for other schools to join.
Filed under Local, Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Families, Urban
Goal: The goal of TRICKs was to reach out to parents using a novel reminder system and increase immunization rates at the KU pediatric clinic.
Impact: There was a significant increase in immunization rate following the implementation of parent text reminders when compared to the initial immunization rate.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Families, Urban
Goal: Managed through the Child and Adolescent Services Branch of the Milwaukee County Mental Health Division in Wisconsin, Wraparound Milwaukee attempts to meet the mental heath, substance abuse, social service, and other supportive needs of the most complex youths in the Milwaukee community.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mortality Data, Children, Older Adults, Urban
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce heat-related morbidity and mortality in Milwaukee.