Strategies

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

118 Strategies
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Active recess

Establish a break from the school day, typically before lunch, that involves planned, inclusive, actively supervised games or activities; also called semi-structured, or structured recess
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise

Activity programs for older adults

Offer group educational, social, creative, musical, or physical activities that promote social interactions, regular attendance, and community involvement among older adults
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise
  • Safety and social support
  • Civic and community resources

Adult vocational training

Support acquisition of job-specific skills through education, certification programs, or on-the-job training, often with personal development resources and other supports
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Baby bonds

Establish publicly funded investment accounts for every newborn, accessible at age 18
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Budgets

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

Bicycle & pedestrian master plans

Establish a framework to increase walking and biking trails and improve connectivity of non-auto paths and trails in a particular area
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Housing and transportation
  • Diet and exercise
  • Climate

Societal Rules

  • Institutional practices
  • Governance

Breastfeeding promotion programs

Provide education, information, counseling, and support for breastfeeding to parents throughout pre- and post-natal care
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise

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

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