Strategies

What Works for Health includes evidence-informed strategies to create communities where everyone can thrive.

81 Strategies
Clear all

Ban the Box

Prohibit criminal history questions on job applications and postpone background checks
Evidence Rating:
Mixed Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Institutional practices
  • Laws and policies
  • Worldviews, culture and norms

Blood alcohol concentration laws

Set legal limits for drivers’ blood alcohol concentrations (BACs)
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Alcohol and drug use

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies

Breath testing checkpoints

Implement checkpoints where law enforcement officers can stop drivers suspected of drinking and driving and assess their level of alcohol impairment
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Alcohol and drug use

Bridge programs for hard-to-employ adults

Provide basic skills (e.g., reading, math, writing, English language, or soft skills) and industry-specific training with other supports; also called occupationally contextualized basic education programs
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Education
  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies

Broadband initiatives for unserved and underserved areas

Expand broadband availability and adoption in unserved and underserved areas through initiatives that address infrastructure and cost barriers
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth
  • Civic and community resources

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies

Campus alcohol bans

Restrict alcohol consumption anywhere on a college or university campus or only in specific areas (e.g., residence halls)
Evidence Rating:
Insufficient Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Alcohol and drug use

Career pathways programs

Provide occupation-specific training for low-skilled individuals in high-growth industries, with education and supports, usually with stackable credentials and work experience opportunities
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Certificates of employability

Issue certificates of employability to individuals with criminal convictions who have met pre-specified standards of rehabilitation; also called certificates of relief, reentry, good conduct, rehabilitation, recovery, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies
  • Worldviews, culture and norms

Child care subsidies

Provide financial assistance to working parents, or parents attending school, to pay for child care
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Budgets

Child development accounts

Build assets through child development accounts (CDAs) with contributions from a sponsoring organization, such as government agencies or nonprofits, and family, friends; also called children’s savings accounts (CSAs)
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth
  • Education

Societal Rules

  • Budgets