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The Best and Promising
Practices Inventory is a list of service
models, curricula and other social service
practices that are the most likely to
be effective based on available research.
Purpose
The goal of this
project is to have readily accessible
information for maximizing our community
impact by promoting effective services. Our
impact councils will use this information in
planning the best way to have an impact on
community conditions. It will also be a
resource for grantees to inform their
contributions to that impact.
What is included?
Best and Promising
Practices Index
The current list of
practices includes descriptions of several
service models or practices addressing the
outcomes prioritized by each of our impact
councils. We will continue to expand the
inventory over time to include additional
practices as new research is completed. We
will also add practices related to
additional outcomes that contribute to our
community impact work.
Support for Choosing
and Implementing Evidence Based Practices
Evidence based practices must be carefully
selected and implemented in order to create real
improvements for program participants. A body of
research on how to prepare for, select and
implement evidence based practices successfully
is becoming available.
Support for
Improving Existing Programs
Many service strategies are based on sound
theory, are well managed and may very well be
highly effective, but haven't been rigorously
evaluated. Adequate research is not available to
determine the best strategies for achieving some
outcomes. There are however, some "best
practices" that can improve the likelihood that
a service strategy will be effective.
How did United Way
select practices for the inventory?
Practices were selected
based on agreement in the field as to their
effectiveness. We determined the level of
agreement by reviewing the work of national
research and technical assistance
organizations that have compiled lists of
“best practices”.
In some impact areas
and for some outcomes, this agreement is
based on a large body of research. In other
areas, less research or less rigorous
research has been accomplished.
In some areas a large
number of “proven practices” is available.
We selected those that are most appropriate
for our impact work. We included only the
practices with the best research on a
specific outcome, unless it is clear that
additional, less-tested models are
recommended for specific populations or are
otherwise of particular interest to our
local efforts.
How are practices
categorized?
There are a number of
models for categorizing evidence-based
practice. We found the term “best practice”
to be confusing, because it is so commonly
used in many different ways. We consulted
with researchers who have done the analysis
of research to establish other
evidence-based practice compendia, developed
and tested several alternatives before
settling on the categories below.
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Typology of Practices |
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Proven |
Promising |
Field Suggested |
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Have been shown in
controlled studies to produce
significantly better results than
were achieved by control groups
toward a desired outcome
AND
The intervention has been
replicated one or more times and an
additional controlled study has
shown similar results. |
Have been shown in
one controlled study to produce
significantly better results than
were achieved by a control group
toward a desired outcome
OR
There is a strong theoretical
support or less rigorous research
indicating that they will lead to
desired outcomes and a controlled
study is underway. |
There
is a strong theoretical support or
less rigorous research indicating
that they will lead to desired
outcomes
AND
A national professional
technical assistance organization or
other recognized authority on the
issue recommends the practice.
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Resources
Promising Practices Network on Children,
Families and Communities:
www.promisingpractices.net.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA).National
Registry of Evidence-based
Programs and Practices (NREPP):
www.nrepp.samhsa.gov
National Council on Aging, Center for
Healthy Aging, Model Programs:
www.healthyagingprograms.com
Center for the Study and Prevention of
Violence Blueprints:
www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints
What Works Clearing House (education):
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
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