Community leaders in Sunnydale, CA contained a coronavirus scare through swift responses, appeals to the community, contact tracing and establishing neighborhood test sites. An emphasis on public education in the neighborhood was also essential to the efforts. The hyperlocal response, which was unique to the community and catered to its needs, was lauded by health workers.

In Scotland, the Navigators program performs violence interruption work in seven hospitals, at the bedside of victims of violence, with counseling and connections to social services to nudge people into safer lifestyles. Because Navigators act independently of the police and other authority figures, and because their service follows clients into the community, they are able to win the cooperation of 65-90% of those they approach. A survey of 100 clients showed 23% fewer emergency room visits in the year after cooperating with the program. Navigators started after violence in Scotland raged in 2005.

After two failed attempts, Oakland Ceasefire retooled its approach and since 2013 has been a significant factor in lowering homicides and nonfatal shootings. The program, used in various ways in many cities, identifies young men at high risk of getting shot or shooting others and then offers them life coaching and social services to keep them out of trouble. By de-emphasizing the role of police, pinpointing those most in need of help, boosting community involvement, and forming deeper personal relationships, the program is credited with a 32% reduction in gun homicides over a six-year study.

Comparing Norway's and the United States' approaches to prisons and policing puts the lie to the American notion that being tough and unrelentingly punitive effectively addresses crime. In Norway, even people imprisoned for violent crimes, in maximum-security prisons, are treated with respect and kindness, with privileges that would be unthinkable in most American prisons. The results are telling: Norway's recidivism rate, the lowest in the world, is less than one-third of the U.S. rate. While prison costs are far higher per capita, the ultimate costs in lower crime make the Norwegian approach affordable.

Vermont has opened its first donor milk center which acts as a breast milk bank for mothers that are in need of milk for their newborn babies. The Vermont Donor Milk Center aims to be a "one-stop shop," and also offers lactation consultation, maternal education, and supports for non-lactating partners.

Private bus companies are beginning to offer an alternative method of transportation in the American West. As younger travelers seek to reduce their carbon footprint, companies like Flixbus are stepping in where rail connections are still lacking. Especially when compared to flying or owning a car, buses offer a carbon-efficient form of travel over long distances. Companies like Flixbus also offer convenience, meeting travelers on university campuses.

To reduce the rate of suicides in Oregon, a Washington County epidemiologist formed an unlikely collaboration with the county's death investigators in order to build a comprehensive pool of data about where and why suicides were taking place. The outcome was a better understanding of prevention tactics that included partnering with "motel clerks and housekeepers, animal shelter workers, pain clinic staffers and more" to teach warning signs and ways to respond.

Following the Las Vegas mass shooting in October 2017, employees at the Clark County coroner’s office found themselves grappling with the psychological effects. The head of the department recognized this struggle and took action: bringing in counselors, offering yoga, meditation, and massages, and having staff and family parties and get-togethers. With a work culture that often emphasizes working alone, this moment allowed for people to come together and create a sense of community.

In West Valley City, Utah, the police department has transformed how they handle sex crimes. Department reforms include mandatory training on trauma, required testing of all rape kits, and the development of a set of guidelines to use when questioning victims – all of which shifting their focus towards justice and healing. The reforms have led to sharp increases in cases prosecuted and convicted and even changes in legislation statewide.

Inspired by prisons in Germany that emphasize personal dignity, Connecticut is shifting its corrections department's focus with two programs for young offenders. The one for women matches 14 inmates with older incarcerated mentors who help develop programs of classes, counseling and planning for post-release life. Officers are trained to address trauma and say they feel a new sense of purpose, but it's an expensive and labor-intensive program so it's unclear how it will fare after this pilot phase.

The group Truckers Against Trafficking launched in 2009 to enlist the help of truck drivers to spot and report cases of human trafficking, which was common at many truck stops. The group trains truckers through video tutorials using experts on trafficking to offer tips on how to spot people being coerced into prostitution. Eight states now require the training and parts of the program are used in nearly 40 states, while truckers have helped identify more than 1,000 trafficking victims.

A nonprofit in Omaha focuses on hospitals for its gang intervention work, making contact with gang members or potential gang members who have been injured through violence and may be ready to make a change in their lives. YouTurn connects them to services like housing, education and job programs and acts as a bridge between families, police and doctors. It also works to prevent violence that might occur in hospitals through revenge or retaliation by rival gangs.

Improving outcomes in addressing HIV requires reducing stigma. In Atlanta, Georgia, faith-based communities are embracing HIV prevention campaigns and courses. Bible Way Ministries provides HIV testing at community events and offers awareness campaigns aimed at reducing stigma. In Philadelphia, Faith in Action similarly recruits religious communities to increase HIV awareness.

California's version of Medicaid, called Medi-Cal, has launched a pilot that provides strict nutrition guidelines for individuals with a chronic illness, as a way to help keep them from having to visit the hospital. For many patients, a change in diet can help with inflammation and reduce painful or uncomfortable symptoms of their diseases. A study of the pilot program showed drastic decreases in medical costs for these patients, as well as in inpatient and emergency room visits.

Shared expressions of community and fellowship are fostering a non-partisan approach to civic engagement. The nonprofit Citizen University, based in Seattle, Washington, provides small grants to trained community leaders who host Civic Saturdays. The meetings take place across the country in libraries, town centers, and at small businesses. Groups gather to share song, poetry, and to discuss political concepts as ideas on a spectrum, rather than in opposition to one another.

Greystone Bakery in Yonkers, N.Y., hires applicants without requiring drug tests, background checks, or credit checks as a way to prioritize future success rather than past actions. The bakery's system of "open hiring" is gaining traction around the country, giving employees a second chance after incarceration or other incidents that usually prove to be obstacles in the job market.

Partnering police agencies and advocates for survivors of sexual assault in cities like Philadelphia and New York City has helped to solve some of the difficulties investigators have faced in cases of sexual assault while also holding investigators accountable for their attitudes and follow-through. Audits by advocates have "changed rape investigations nationwide" and provide a model for other cities.

Being in a gang or selling drugs is risky and often poorly paid, but many people caught up in it see too many obstacles in alternate paths to change. Readi Chicago addresses these barriers with cognitive behavioral therapy and subsidized jobs that allow participants to gradually build up skills and move into better positions. But the most important people are the outreach workers, many of whom came out of incarceration or gang life, and can build relationships to convince people to sign up.

Connecting to peers makes coping with emotional distress easier for youth. Youthline, a youth suicide crisis intervention service operated by Lines for Life puts those struggling in touch with volunteers their own age via call, text, or email. The youth volunteers are supervised by a clinician and are trained in SafeTALK and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

At Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in Detroit, the support of the high school doesn't stop at graduation. Staff at the school follow up with alumni at their new campuses to make sure they are on track and connect them with the resources they need to succeed, whether academic, financial, or social.

When the opioid crisis hit indigenous communities throughout North America, solutions that were working in urban areas, weren't available to these isolated, rural regions. To combat the crisis specifically as it relates to pregnancy, health care workers and community members from the tribes are working together to implement programs that connect newborns and their families with the medical assistance they need.

In Detroit, volunteers go door to door to talk with their neighbors who have properties at risk of foreclosure. The initiative has contributed to a 90 percent decrease in foreclosures in the city since 2015.

Outdoor enthusiasts make effective citizen scientists. In Montana, Adventure Scientists pairs outdoor adventure-seekers with scientists looking to collect data in remote locations. The volunteers gather data that inform US Forest Service and other conservation studies. The project has led to research collection by volunteers worldwide.

Fashion has long been known as a major contributor to climate change, but brands (from fast fashion to luxury houses alike) are taking steps to address their carbon footprint. This article lists several initiatives working on reducing fabric waste, such as FabScrap, a NY organization that collects and resells 6,000 pounds of discarded fabric weekly.

Australia has found a promising model to make high-priced medicine cheaper for patients, including expensive treatments for Hepatitis C, which the country is now on track to eradicating by 2026. The strategy works similar to the business strategy of subscription streaming services- by paying a lump sum to drug producers, Australia gets an unlimited amount of the drug for 5 years, allowing all patients to get help while ensuring stable profits for drug companies.

Farm incubators provide aspiring farmers with training, land, and access to business networks. Across the United States, organizations like California’s Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) are working to support small farmers by serving as small farm incubators. Following a ten-month training course for aspiring farmers, ALBA allows the fledgling entrepreneurs to rent land at below-market rates while they expand their businesses.

With the help of legal counsel, immigrants facing deportation are more likely to win their cases and keep their families together. The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project is one of several organizations in New York that provides lawyers free of charge to detained immigrants. The program is also a part of the broader Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) network, which includes 18 cities that have set up legal defense funds for immigrants.

Feeling isolated often leads to increased feelings of loneliness, but is also a reason why new meet-ups such as Tea With Strangers are becoming widely used as a solution. Based on the idea that strangers can become more like neighbors, these gatherings promote conversation and connection with the goal of reducing isolation.

A shortage of caregivers throughout the U.S. has forced the industry to rethink how it's attracting workers, especially men. From simplifying applications to better targeted outreach, organizations are implementing new strategies that, so far, are working.

Connecting children with volunteer lawyers can greatly assist immigration cases. Nonprofits like the Safe Passage Project and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) work to provide children, often separated from their families, with legal defense. Without a lawyer, many children face immigration hearings alone, adding great trauma to a complicated process. A majority of unrepresented children are deported. Nonprofit legal groups across the US are working to create a safety net of legal counsel.

Sometimes just having someone to talk to can help those who are suffering from depression. The Friendship Bench program in NYC borrows an idea from Harare, Zimbabwe, where healthcare workers—affectionately called Grannies—sit and consult with patients on benches outside of healthcare clinics. The Grannies help people discuss their issues and have had a measurably positive impact on those they’ve reached. In New York, the Friendship Benches connect individuals to peer mentors willing to listen across the city.

In Washington D.C., public preschool teachers are paid similar salaries to public elementary school teachers and each pre-K site receives Head Start funding. The system, which starts with three-year-olds, is getting early results.

Home-sharing programs help formerly incarcerated individuals avoid homelessness. The Homecoming Project, operated by Impact Justice, a nonprofit in California, leverages the sharing economy model to reduce homelessness and recidivism among ex-prisoners. The program pairs individuals leaving prison with good records with hosts willing to share their homes. The arrangement provides stability and a supportive environment for ex-prisoners to reintegrate into the community.

The University of Tennessee Medical Center clinic has engaged a specific set of experts to form the High Risk Obstetrical Consultants team that focuses on treating opioid-addicted pregnant women as well as the infant after childbirth. The goal of the program is to stabilize the mother and then offer a choice for the rest of the pregnancy of either completely detoxing or remaining on medically assisted treatment.

Hospitals in Colorado are changing their approach to opioid crisis by treating patients that come in as emergent cases and rushing them into medication-assisted addiction treatment. The model has proved so successful that doctors are now looking to expand this approach to methamphetamine users as well.

Rewarding patients for sobriety greatly increases the likelihood for recovery. The approach of contingency management creates new behaviors through incentives instead of punishment. Through the Seattle Department of Veteran’s Affairs, patients in an addiction program who test negative get to draw a prize and accumulate rewards the longer they stay sober. This alternative form of treatment has proven effective in boosting patient participation—and success—in addiction programs at the Seattle VA.

Huntington, West Virginia has taken strides towards becoming a model for other cities on how to combat the opioid crisis after successfully optimizing on collaboration efforts. Coordinated by the mayor, joint efforts from local government, university researchers and the police department, worked to decrease rates of overdoses and increase community trust.

To counter a growing concern around doctor shortages, California has implemented a series of measures that aim to keep more doctors in the state, especially focusing on rural areas where they are most needed. From loan repayment plans to expansion and creation of new training programs, the state has already begun to see success in doctor recruitment and retention.

Hansen Family Hospital in Iowa Falls is one of the rare rural hospitals that has defied the odds and remained open, thanks in part to creative collaborations and the CEO's entrepreneurial attitude. From converting its obstetrics department into an outpatient mental health program for senior citizens in order to better match the demographics of the city to implementing a profit-sharing model with a local coffee shop, the hospital is doing what it can to remain open while also supporting the health of the community.

Oslo, Norway saw zero pedestrian and cyclist deaths in 2019. The success comes from infrastructure redesign, increased traffic enforcement, overall policy prioritization of road safety, and collaboration between residents, organizations, and government. In the United States, many cities are working toward “Vision Zero” – zero pedestrian and cycling deaths – and are looking to Oslo as an example.