Behavioral Science

Best Practices

• Best Practices for Unintentional Injury
• Best Practices for Violence / Intentional Injury

Interventions and programs that have been scientifically proven to be effective or are suggested based on information that is available are considered best practices.  They demonstrate good program design, effective outcomes, and usually, these interventions have to meet certain strict criteria and are rigorously evaluated.  Although, the criteria may vary by program, they still are all held to very high standards.

See The Interactive Domain Model of Best Practices in Health Promotion: Developing and Implementing a Best Practices Approach to Health Promotion (Kahan, B & Goodstadt, M. Health Promotion Practice, January 2001: Vol. 2, No. 1, 43-67) to view a conceptualization and operationalization of a best practices approach to health promotion.

Some programs in injury and violence prevention are considered best practices, and are highlighted below.

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Best Practices for Violence / Intentional Injury Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention: A Sourcebook for Community Action Looks at the effectiveness of specific violence prevention practices in four key areas: parents and families; home visiting; social and conflict resolution skills; and mentoring. The Guide to Community Preventive Services The Community Guide has published systematic reviews on the (1) effectiveness of early childhood home visitation in preventing violence, (2) 8 firearms laws and the reduction of violence, (3) therapeutic foster care for the prevention of violence. Two additional reviews are being prepared for publication: a review of (4) the effectiveness of universal school-based programs to prevent violence, and a review of (5) the effects on violence of laws and policies facilitating the transfer of juveniles from the juvenile justice system to the adult justice system. Handbook of Injury and Violence Prevention Doll, L, Mercy, J, Bonzo, S, Sleet, DA (Eds). Secaucus, NJ: Springer, 2006 (in press) Harborview Injury Control and Research Center List of Best Practices A list of interventions found effective to prevent injuries among children and adolescents. University of Colorado Blueprints for Violence Prevention This initiative has identified 11 violence prevention and intervention programs that are effective. Model programs

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