Strategies

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

148 Strategies
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Incredible Years

Support young children who exhibit or are at risk for behavioral problems with interpersonal relationship training and parents and teachers who are trained to meet their needs
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Education
  • Safety and social support

Individually-adapted physical activity programs

Teach behavioral skills that can help individuals incorporate physical activity into their daily routines
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise

Intergenerational communities

Establish policies, plans, and programs that meet the needs of all residents of a community, especially children and older adults, and promote interaction and cooperation between individuals of different generations
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support
  • Civic and community resources

Intergenerational mentoring and activities

Establish a relationship between an older adult and a child, adolescent, or college student through social interactions or a variety of educational and art activities
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support
  • Civic and community resources

In-vehicle monitoring & feedback for teen drivers and families

Support use of in-vehicle devices that alert novice teen drivers when they have high g-force events (e.g., rapid acceleration, braking, or turning) and allow families to review driving performance
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support

Juvenile curfews

Restrict youth under a certain age from being in public places during certain hours, usually at night
Evidence Rating:
Evidence of Ineffectiveness

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies

Kinship foster care for children in the child welfare system

Arrange full-time foster care by relatives or adults who are not a child’s parent but have a family relationship with the child when a child is removed from home due to a safety concern
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies

Mass media campaigns for physical activity

Provide messages that support physical activity to large and broad audiences using television, social media, radio, billboards, newspapers, and other print media
Evidence Rating:
Insufficient Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Diet and exercise

Mental Health First Aid

Provide an 8 or 12 hour training to educate laypeople about how to assist individuals with mental health problems or at risk for problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support

Mentoring programs to prevent youth delinquency

Pair youth at risk for delinquent behavior with mentors to develop relationships and spend time at regular meetings for an extended period; mentors have greater knowledge, skills, etc. than mentees
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support