Strategies

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

62 Strategies
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School or community-based abstinence-only education

Promote abstinence from sexual activity, generally only with mention of condoms and birth control to highlight failure rates
Evidence Rating:
Mixed Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Sexual activity

Sector-based workforce initiatives

Provide industry-focused education and job training based on the needs of regional employers within specific sectors
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Summer youth employment programs

Provide short-term employment opportunities for youth, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Safety and social support
  • Income, employment and wealth

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits

Explore ways to increase Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program benefit amounts for aged, blind, or disabled individuals, including children, with little or no income
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies
  • Budgets

Teen pregnancy prevention programs

Support school-, community-, and clinic-based teen pregnancy prevention programs such as comprehensive sex education, HIV/STI prevention and youth development efforts, service learning, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Sexual activity

Telecommuting

Allow employees to work outside a central office, using technology to interact with others inside and outside the organization; also called remote work, telework, or flexible working arrangements
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Institutional practices

Transitional and subsidized jobs

Establish time-limited, subsidized, paid jobs to help individuals with barriers to employment transition to unsubsidized employment
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Unemployment insurance (UI)

Increase compensation provided to unemployed workers looking for jobs by expanding eligibility, amount, or duration of benefits
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies
  • Budgets

Universal basic income

Provide all individuals with regular cash transfers, without conditions, over their lifetimes
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion

Community Conditions

  • Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

  • Laws and policies
  • Worldviews, culture and norms